Media Release 14 December 2016

The challenge to the Hodgman government's anti-forest-protest laws is finally set to be heard by the full bench of seven High Court judges at a date in the new year yet to be fixed.

This follows the Tasmanian government, last week, dropping its contention that Bob Brown was trespassing at the time he was arrested. Tasmania originally intended to argue he did not have standing to take the action before the court. Brown had maintained that he was in a forest reserve when arrested. Earlier the state also dropped charges against him under the anti-protest legislation, and then against Brown's fellow plaintiff and former Lapoinya resident Jessica Hoyt. Both were arrested in January when clearfell logging operations began in the Lapoinya Forest.

Dr Brown told a Hobart Town Hall meeting today that the Hodgman laws cut across Tasmanians' rights to political expression and should be struck down as unconstitutional.

Today, the Bob Brown Foundation launched a Pozible crowd funding campaign to raise $100,000 towards any costs that could be incurred by Bob Brown and Jessica Hoyt in taking the case to the High Court.

More information at https://pozible.com/project/stand-with-bob-brown


Media contact

Steven Chaffer
0408 855 261