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Activists occupy Australian consular offices over logging

Robin of Sherwood | 14.07.2004 11:34 | Ecology

Activists have occupied the Australian Consular Offices in Manchester, England in a protest against old growth logging in Australia

Outside St Peters House, Manchester 1

Outside St Peters House, Manchester 2

Outside St Peters House, Manchester 3

After seeing the destruction caused by logging in areas such as Victoria and Tasmania activists in the UK decided to target the Australian consulate to show that this is an international issue as important as the logging of the Amazon. We aim to carry on this campaign and highlight the fact that Australia's claim to be a land of unspoilt wilderness is really just greenwash.
Australia is home to some amazing areas of “old growth” rainforest, which have remained relatively unaltered by humans for thousands of years. Now, it is being felled at an alarming rate, even in supposedly “protected” areas. And for what? In Tasmania, 90% of native forest felled is converted into woodchips for the Asian paper industry. Thus, priceless ancient forest is trashed and sold for $15 (less than £6) per tonne to make cardboard. This doesn’t even create forestry jobs, contrary to what the profiteering Australian forest fat-cats say.
This must stop. There are huge campaigns against this logging in Australia, involving direct action blockades, tree-sits, marches and rallies, lobbying, and more…we are in solidarity with these campaigns. And will be campaigning in Britain with the same simple demand – LEAVE THE ANCIENT FORESTS ALONE!
For more info on what’s going on in Australia, and for ideas of ways to support the campaigns, check these websites:

www.wilderness.org.au www.geco.org.au
www.tasforests.green.net.au www.ecorevolt.forests.org.au
www.discover-tasmania.com www.futurerescue.org
In solidarity. Robin of Sherwood

Robin of Sherwood
e-mail: cattracker2004@yahoo.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

more info please

15.07.2004 13:37

is this a banner protest or an occupation?
If an occupation how long did you last, how many, any arrests?

humanimal

Yes, it was an occupation....

15.07.2004 21:15

Yes, we did occupy the place (despite there being no consulate staff actually there, consular duties are handled by some building admin staff for 2 hours per day) and contacted the Australian embassy in London. There was also a banner outside and leafletting. For those of you with more than spelling mistakes to worry about, check the websites (on the original post) for info on the Australian forest / woodchips scandal....

Bobby Sox

LOL

16.07.2004 08:05

So let us get this straight. Somebody entered an empty building which is no longer used and this was an occupation ? Sounds like the joke protest outside an empty Spearhead office by the losers at the anti DSEI group.

What is it with you people, when will you learn this sort of empty geesture achieves nothing. I am surprised you had the cheeck to post it up as news.

LOL

so what do you suggest

16.07.2004 09:56

so what would you suggest doing then. the building in question is the consulate its just very small and the actual business done there is farmed out. While a small action ain't gonna stop logging in Oz, surely any action is better than inaction. And presumably those of us who care about issues don't just do "one off actions." This action acheived its aims which was to tell the Australian embassy (who were faxed that there consulate was occupied) that not everyone in the UK is ignorant of the issue.

mike

From Australia

17.07.2004 05:15

Anything that helps inform the public of this and any other abuses of the world can only be a good thing. Well done guys and thanks from Victoria .
Greg.

Greg

What did it achieve

17.07.2004 08:17

What did these people achieve by their occupation?
- well up until reading I knew nothing of this felling in auz - knew nothing of the website - am willing to directly support.
Im only one person, but hey

THERE'S AN ACHIEVEMENT

Beyond cheese butties

Australia at it again

02.08.2004 17:27

Keep at it guys. This sort of action gets published in Australia. Actions are starting up again here even though we are in the middle of snow season. The DSE (department of sustainability and environment) are at it again, logging a State Rainforest Site of Significance with 500 yr old trees being sent to the woodchipper and important ecological sites being trashed under the name of sustainable logging. If anyone is intrested in learning about the struggle here to protect our old growth forests check out our website www.geco.org.au
Thanks for showing your surport guys
Billy

Billy Dainja
mail e-mail: billydainja@yahoo.com.au
Homepage: http://www.geco.org.au

Great Job!

01.09.2004 23:48

Thanx heaps for doing this . it all makes a difference.Go Hard! I live on the south coast of NSW and every day I go out I see log trucks with old growth and native forest heading to the woodchipmill . the government gets revenue of maybe 20 cents a TONNE for these logs, destined for japan to make paper. we are in the midst of drought , creeks are drying up and people ask why, when their water catchments are being logged to shit

rob
mail e-mail: sage@netspeed.com.au
Homepage: http://www.chipstop.forests.org.au

Activist struggle for the Tuarts

10.09.2004 08:39

Hi Spikey Mancunians

Please check out the Perth, Australia indymedia site on Tuarts. Mass arrests in Western Australia, Govt propaganda rolling in.

Any chance of a solidarity protest at the Manchester Australian Consulate - burn the kangaroo because that's what they're doing at Ludlow.

Contact the Perth Crew - Al - for more details.

Bardi Grub

bardi
Homepage: http://savethetuarts.org

UK Indymedia