Iconic Australian writer and musician Shane Howard joined 50 people in takayna/Tarkine today to stage a protest concert on the contentious road into Chinese state-owned MMG proposed tailings dam site.

“I’m inspired by the dedication of everyday people to take such a strong stand to protect the Tarkine/takayna from desecration in the same way they did with the Franklin River in the 1980’s,” said Shane Howard.

“What’s at stake here is unspeakably magnificent old growth forest. It should not be sacrificed for 25 million cubic tons of toxic, acidic tailings. It’s the 21st century. We have to do better. Sussan Ley must act to protect the majesty of these forests,” Shane Howard said.

“It’s NAIDOC week and the theme for this year is, ‘Heal Country’. What MMG are proposing for takayna/Tarkine is the absolute opposite, particularly as there are a number of viable alternatives,” Shane Howard said.

“MMG’s current proposal is the ‘lazy and greedy’ option and nowhere near world’s best practice. By going down this path the Chinese state-owned MMG faces the very real risk of bringing shame to the Chinese people, a government who are signatories to the World Heritage Convention are threatening World Heritage value forests,” Shane Howard said.

“What is clear to me from my visit today, is that this is only just the beginning. I saw the young and old passionate people there today it gave me hope - this campaign will be the ‘Franklin’ of this generation,” Shane Howard said.

Bob Brown Foundation has resumed daily protests in takayna/Tarkine today after mining company MMG is a no show for the second day running.

“We are urging the Chinese state-owned MMG to stay out of the Tarkine, remove their machines and use their alternative options for their waste that won’t cost the rainforests,” said Bob Brown Foundation Campaign Manager Jenny Weber.

“MMG didn’t arrive yesterday to the contentious site while two takayna defenders locked onto their excavators and a beekeeper joined the demonstration. It was one day in seven weeks there was a reprieve from destruction. This morning takayna defenders have walked 6km into the Tarkine rainforest this morning, one has attached themselves to an excavator that has been building roads for a proposed heavy metals tailings waste dump. MMG is still a no show this morning

Our rainforest occupation continues in the centre of the proposed waste dump site. 40m up a tall eucalyptus our treesit camp has occupied the threatened primeval forests. Masked owls have been heard in the still midwinter nights, support continues from all around the world, as does the outrage that the threat of a toxic waste dump could be happening to our clean green Tasmania

MMG has used its mining lease arrangement to lock the forest up from public access. While awaiting Federal Environment assessments, mining company MMG is pushing ahead with access roads into 205 hectares of ancient rainforests and tall eucalyptus forests,” said Jenny Weber.

Bob Brown Foundation has been organising a relentless campaign in the remote rainforests where takayna defenders have blockaded every day since MMG arrived seven weeks ago, with more than 300 people demonstrating in takayna/Tarkine.

Hobart Primary school teacher Katherine Bougher has nominated herself to be arrested today and will join more than 60 citizens arrested including current or former farmers, nurses, doctors, tourism operators, journalists, and artists.

“These are dire days for takayna/Tarkine which should be both protected and returned to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. There must be greater protections for Aboriginal lands and waters, from exploitation, desecration, and destruction,” Jenny Weber said.

“I’m here today to protect ancient rainforest, her waters, and animals within. It’s important to me to take action this NAIDOC week as it is a time to raise awareness of the treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and their land. We need to heal their country by recognising, protecting, and maintaining all aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and culture,” Katherine Bougher said.

The Tasmanian Crop Pollination Association has this morning joined Australian Greens Senator Janet Rice and Bob Brown Foundation in takayna/Tarkine to protest the loss of leatherwood rich rainforest to logging and the controversial proposed MMG tailings dam.

Joining a demonstration on the access road to the controversial proposed heavy metals tailings dam, Kelly Albion, Climate Campaigner and Allison Davies, Music Therapist and CEO are locked onto MMG road-building machines.

“Leatherwood honey accounts for 70% of industry income in Tasmania,” said John Seirnicki, Vice President Tasmanian Crop Pollinators Association.

“Loss of leatherwood trees will mean added running costs to help hives recover from pollinating crops. With the growing amount of new irrigated farmland we are finding it hard to keep up with demand for pollinating hives”.

“Destruction of old growth rainforest will greatly restrict the growth and the future of new and younger people coming into the industry as the profit from pollination from pollination only will make beekeeping unviable”.

Leatherwood rich rainforest are both at risk of clearing for MMG’s toxic tailings dam and are currently being lost to logging across the state.

“Today's demonstration has been formed with an alliance of beekeepers, long-time climate activists, a music therapist, and Australian Greens Senator Rice. Our Foundation’s campaign to halt this proposed heavy metals waste dump in Australia’s largest temperate rainforests is gathering hundreds of people from all walks of life to the frontline in winter. It’s a symbol of momentous opposition to MMGs plans to flatten these rainforests,” said Bob Brown Foundation takayna/Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.

“Conservationists and beekeepers are on a unity ticket when it comes to the protection of leatherwood rich forests here in takayna/Tarkine”, Scott Jordan said.

MMG Mining company moved in another machine to the contentious Tarkine rainforest this morning, protesters have shut it down. Roadworks on the site of MMG's proposed toxic tailings dam in takayna/Tarkine has been halted again as two citizens have locked themselves to excavators on the rainforest site.

Outdoor Educator Clancy Leary (23) and Psychologist/Support Worker Michael Nowara (31) have walked six and a half kilometres beyond the company's road block to attach themselves to the two excavators preventing clearing and roadworks this morning.

"Why this activism is still necessary in a world now awake to the climate crisis is a question I can't answer. We should instinctively know to protect that which allows us to live and breathe. takayna is where I live and breathe deepest. Come, see it for yourself, you will reconnect and you will understand", said Mr Leary.

"I've never been so worried about the future of the planet. So many people are becoming aware of the actions that need to take place to prevent planet Earth from slipping further into a climate crisis. Reducing emissions, shifting to green energy, saving our rainforest. People generally agree on these issues but barely anyone is willing to or knows how to take action. I want to encourage more people to take action, as much as they can. Don't take the back seat any longer", urged Mr Nowara.

The Bob Brown Foundation supports their calls to action as hundreds of people are joining the foundation in frontline actions in takayna/Tarkine. Chinese state-owned miner MMG is pushing in roads to build a heavy metals tailings dam that would flatten primeval rainforests and tall eucalyptus forests for their waste dump.

"These brave and passionate citizens are right. If we are going to defend the planet we must be willing to stand up for our wild places. We can only hope that Minister Ley wants to stand with the 62 protestors that have been arrested over the past 51 days defending the rainforests of takayna/Tarkine", said Bob Brown Foundation takayna/Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.

On the fiftieth day of action against Chinese State owned MMG's proposed toxic tailings dam, protestors have continued their defence of the takayna/Tarkine wilderness.

Wilderness campaigner Jimmy Cordwell (32) has locked onto an excavator to cease clearing and road building through ancient rainforest.

“I’m here in takayna because I love rainforest and I love Tassie’s Gondwanan temperate rainforests. But more importantly, with the wild places of the world rapidly disappearing in the middle of a climate crisis and mass species extinctions, I can’t stand by and watch future world heritage areas be destroyed forever”, said Mr Cordwell.

Sixty one arrests have been made from over one hundred and sixty protestors who have entered the site in defiance of MMG's security guards.

"Here we have the Gutwein Government allowing a Chinese state-owned company to post private security to close a road into public rainforest, some four and a half kilometres before the mine lease", said takayna/Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan. 

"How is it that Premier Gutwein, Minister Barnett, and the Gutwein Government think it is ok for the Chinese Government has more rights in our forests than Tasmanian citizens?". Scott Jordan said.

Protesters return to contentious rainforest for second action in one day.

Bob Brown Foundation calls on Premier Gutwein to stop promoting the highly controversial move by the Chinese state-owned miner MMG to flatten hundreds of hectares of Australia’s largest intact rainforests for a heavy metals tailings dump when the company has other viable options that will not cost a rainforest. A second group of protestors has entered the contentious Helilog road in Tasmania’s north-west and blocked a gate to the site. Painter and decorator Lawrie Rastall chained to a gate to halt access to clearing and roadworks and has been arrested.

Earlier this morning a protest shut down road building destruction for the proposed MMG toxic tailings dam. Retired doctor John Barrenger (65) and Animal Liberation Tasmania president Kristy Algar (40) were arrested after being locked onto an excavator being used to push roads into the proposed heavy metals tailings waste dump site.

"I am here to protest for Tassie's native forests. The destruction has gone too far and must stop now," said Mr Rastall.

Sixty-one people arrested over the past 49 days.

"MMG and the Government must be seeing that there is no social licence for this proposed destruction. MMG should abandon this fool's errand and pursue less destructive options outside takayna/Tarkine,” said Bob Brown Foundation takayna/Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.

“Tasmania’s Minster Barnett has today overinflated the supposed risk if federal environmental approvals are not granted for the proposed tailings dump by Chinese state-owned miner MMG. Minister Barnett and our Tasmanian Environment Minister Roger Jaensch have written to Federal Environment Minister to advocate for the mining and logging industry. It appears Jaensch has lost the meaning of Environment Minister when advocating for ongoing removal of rainforests, native forests and endangered species habitat,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Jenny Weber said.

"MMG has other options that are viable for their storage of tailings waste that will not cost a rainforest. MMG have made a mistake in the past with their planning for storing waste and need to fix it without demolishing hundreds of hectares of Australia’s largest temperate rainforests and endangered species habitat

It is Premier Gutwein and his government who are increasing risk for prospective investors in Tasmania’s clean and green brand by promoting this monstrous project by MMG that would flatten globally significant rainforests for a heavy metals tailings dump. MMG has other options and need to move out of takayna/Tarkine today,” Jenny Weber said.

This morning, forest defenders have stopped work again at the contentious MMG tailings dam site in takayna/Tarkine as protests enter the seventh week.

Retired doctor John Barrenger (65) and Animal Liberation Tasmania president Kristy Algar (40) have locked themselves to an excavator preventing further clearing and roadworks on the site. Both have urged the government and the company to think beyond their own commercial interests.

"This is important for our children and grandchildren", said Mr Barrenger.

"I'm here in defence of the free living animals of takayna. For the individuals and communities that rely on the forests for life itself," said Ms Algar.

Today is the 49th day of protests, with 58 people arrested.

"What we have seen over the past 49 days is the passion of everyday people for the protection of this wild and incredible place", said Bob Brown Foundation takayna/Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.

"MMG should take note that we are growing stronger and more committed by the day".

On Friday, Bob Brown, patron of the Bob Brown Foundation, walked 4km past security guards in the chill pre-dawn darkness and entered the forbidden forest of Tasmania’s takayna/Tarkine region which China’s state-owned mining company MMG wants to use as a toxic waste dump. MMG’s began work on the project several weeks ago.

“I knew I risked arrest and, while I spent the whole day in the heart of the public forest, four other forest defenders were arrested back on the road for halting MMG’s bulldozers. MMG’s machinery is smashing the road to build a dam wall to hold back toxic tailings which will be piped from its mine on the other side of the Pieman River at Rosebery,” Brown said in Hobart today. Brown had breakfast with forest defenders at a camp deep in the rainforest where one is on a platform high in a tree.

“I was flabbergasted on Wednesday when MMG drove the Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, along the muddy road but not into the pristine rainforest itself. So minister Ley missed the primeval forbidden forest at the heart of the proposed toxic waste dump. That being so, I went into that forest with friends on Friday to at least get her a photograph of what she’d missed.”

“It is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Its endangered animals, like masked owls, giant wedgetailed eagles, white goshawks and Tasmanian devils would be wiped out by a toxic dump.
If the Morrison government lets this national heirloom drown in a sea of toxic sludge, it will be a nasty chapter in the book of needless Australian environmental crimes."

“MMG is proceeding with its plan even though Minister Ley has not decided whether it meets environmental laws. She will decide by 23 July. Regardless of what she does, it looks like MMG will keep destroying the forest. I think what MMG is doing is illegal. Prime Minister Morrison knows MMG has at least four options for storing its toxic tailings on the other or mine-side of the river and should prevent MMG’s odious plan.”

Brown met more than 30 volunteer blockaders at the Bob Brown Foundation campaign centre on Thursday night after meeting the minister in the northern Tarkine earlier in the day.

“Public support for the Tarkine forest is surging. And testimonials like those from 18-years-old Billie Raffety who was arrested after locking on to machinery while I was meeting minister Ley, are motivating people everywhere, despite this being mid-winter.”

“OMG MMG! Our foundation will never give up on stopping MMG’s toxic dump wrecking the Tarkine rainforest. I look forward to the day we will all be free to go walking there, Billie Raffety and Sussan Ley included.”

On the forty sixth day of protests, ten takayna defenders have re-entered the site of MMG's proposed tailings dam, locking down one gate and two machines on the site.

Record breaking protests have escalated over the past six weeks with fifty four people arrested so far. Today's protestors have expressed their motivations for taking action in defence of ancient rainforest.

"There are so few unspoiled places like this left in the world, and it’s horrible to think that one of them is being desecrated like this for corporate convenience. I can’t let myself sit by and do nothing while this rainforest is being torn down", said teacher's aide Darcy Wright (19).

"I’m here to defend takayna and honour its need to live on. We cannot let it suffer this way, and no amount of money can make up for defacing it. It’s heartbreaking to see how our perception changes with greed, have we forgotten how special this rainforest is?", said hospitality worker Stella McGill (18).

"I am here defending takayna because I believe in the protection and preservation of beautiful pristine wild places such as this World Heritage value rainforest of such ecological, environmental and cultural value. I am standing up for my future at a critical time of climate change and am horrified that the government is still supporting environmental destruction for corporate gain", said tour guide Sakura Woods (19).

"You only have to drive through this region to feel truly touched by its beauty. I am here today to protect this special rainforest for the young people and future generations. There is an abundance of flora and fauna to be protected here. The threat of losing this beautiful place is too hard to bear, we have to stand up and say no more, too many sacrifices have been made already", said social worker Jacinta Rush-Armstrong (29).

Yesterday, Bob Brown met with Environment Minister Sussan Ley to alert her to the impacts on threatened species and rainforests that this foolhardy project poses, and urged her to put the environment first and require MMG to abandon plans to situate its tailings dam in takayna/Tarkine and explore alternate options.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley met Dr Bob Brown this morning and took a short stroll in rainforest similar to that threatened by MMG’s toxic tailings dam proposal in northwest Tasmania.

“It was an informative meeting,” Brown said.

“I told the minister that I believe MMG’s current works towards installing the dam in the rainforest are illegal. This project is subject to her decision and should not proceed until an environmental impact statement and a study of the alternatives are completed. MMG is pre-empting the decision and pulling the rug from under proper process,” he said.

Together with Bob Brown Foundation experts Jenny Weber and Scott Jordan, Brown explained that a win-win outcome will be saving the rainforest and its wildlife while MMG takes up one of the four or more options for disposing of its future toxic wastes on the Rosebery mine’s side of the Pieman River.

Minister Ley’s meeting and walk were hosted by the Tarkine Wilderness Lodge south of Burnie.

Meanwhile, the foundation is being inundated with people joining the peaceful campaign to halt MMG’s destructive works proceeding without a proper environmental study. This morning Hobartian Billie Raffety was arrested after attaching herself to and halting, an MMG mining machine.

“This magnificent forest should be National and World Heritage, not a dump site for a multinational mining company,” Brown said