Greens to contest Sutherland by-election
SYDNEY — Following the resignation of Liberal Chris Downey, south Sydney residents go to a state by-election on December 20 for the seat of Sutherland. Both the Liberal and Labor candidates are likely to support (or remain silent about) contentious developments such as the proposed new reactor at Lucas Heights and a major motorway planned for Woronora.
Opposing them is Jo-Anne Lentern, a NSW Greens candidate. Lentern is involved in campaigns against the Holsworthy airport and the planned motorway. The Greens will also campaign on public transport, pollution of the Georges and Woronora Rivers, and the state government's "integrated development assessment" legislation, which will further reduce community input into development decision-making.
Charges against roads activists dismissed
SYDNEY — The charges against all but three of 15 activists arrested for protesting against the building of the Eastern distributor road have been dismissed. On December 1, the Sydney Magistrate Court upheld the "right to protest" as a lawful excuse to protest.
Defending solicitor, Bernard Brassil, said: "The right to protest declared by the High Court in Davies and Ors versus the Commonwealth and Anor gave grounds for a person to have a lawful excuse to enter the land ... now owned by the RTA to engage in lawful peaceful protest." Jurgen Wille, one of the three protesters said: "We were forced into non-violent protest by the government's failure to adequately consult or listen to the community."
Canungra activists vindicated
On December 1, a group of nine protesters, arrested in August for attempting to establish an "Office of Conscientious Objection" at the Canungra Land Warfare Centre near Brisbane, were convicted of trespass by a Brisbane magistrate. In sentencing them, the magistrate acknowledged that "protests are an important part of our community" and did not record convictions against six of the activists. The other three protesters were fined on the basis of previous convictions for similar civil disobedience.
The August action was a prelude to the peace camp held at Canungra over the weekend of December 6-7 to highlight the Australian government's complicity in the oppression of East Timor by training Indonesian troops.