[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_FIAT Head Must Stop Blaming Attack Victims_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

PREMIER HOLDS KEY TO ENDING FOREST PROTESTS

FIAT Head Must Reject Violence, & Stop Blaming the Victims

Tim Morris MP
Greens Shadow Police Spokesperson

Friday, 24 October 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today have called for the Chief Executive of Forest
Industries Association of Tasmania, Terry Edwards to retract statements
where he seeks to blame forest protesters for the 'extreme reactions
from contractors', saying that blaming the victims of a violent attack
is an unacceptable attitude that does not live up to modern community
expectations.

Greens Shadow Police spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that until key
areas of Tasmania's high conservation value forests, as recommended for
protection under Jim Bacon's Tasmania Together process, are protected
then the Labor government must take responsibility for ongoing community
concern and the fact that people will continue to advocate protection of
our unique and carbon-rich native forests. 

"The protesters have made a clear commitment and developed a track
record for acting peacefully at all times; it is now time for the TFCA
and FIAT to do the same," Mr Morris said.

"Instead we have the CEO of FIAT reportedly making outrageous comments
regarding this latest shocking violent incident which basically blames
the victim.  This is an unacceptable and outdated attitude which Mr
Edwards must retract immediately."

"Mr Kroon of the TFCA and Mr Edwards of Forest Industries Association
must make a public statement on behalf of their members rejecting any
violence under any circumstances; until that happens it will be seen
that they are tacitly supporting the violence that was recorded
recently."

"Tasmania Police must move to prosecute anyone who commits acts of
violence as to do anything else will only encourage those who commit
violent acts to continue this un-Tasmanian behaviour, and we would be
expecting charges to be laid over this latest appalling incident."

"This conflict in our forests will not be won by violence and
intimidation, it will only be resolved when the Premier shows some real
leadership and at least implements the Tasmania Together's
recommendations made years ago to protect our unique forests, and the
forest industry shifts to a viable low volume, high valued added
industry as outlined in the Greens' Forest Transition Strategy," Mr
Morris said.




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