Lismore MP Thomas George and Nationals North Coast MLC Ben Franklin have been challenged to oppose new proposed penalties for anti coal seam gas and coal protesters.
The proposed laws could see protesters such as the Knitting Nannas thrown in jail for up to seven years.
Ballina MP Tamara Smith said if the pair MPs genuinely cared about keeping the Northern Rivers CSG Free and protecting the right to protest, then they should vote that way in Parliament.
The Baird Government has introduced the Inclosed Lands, Crimes and Law Enforcement Legislation Amendment (Interference) Bill 2016 that changes the definition of a ‘mine site’ so that peaceful protesters against coal and coal seam gas will face jail sentences of up to seven years for simply expressing their democratic rights.
Section 201 of the Crimes Act 1900 was originally intended to stop serious acts of industrial sabotage by protesting mine workers in the 1980s, but the Bill before parliament expands the definition to encompass coal seam gas sites and construction sites after the courts ruled that protesters trying to stop the construction of Maules Creek coal mine could not be prosecuted under this section as it was a construction site, not a mine.
‘Do Thomas George and Ben Franklin want to see the Knitting Nannas or other protesters concerned about mining’s impact on land and water, thrown into jail for up to seven years?” asked Tamara Smith.
‘Thomas George and Ben Franklin should pledge to cross the floor and stand up for the democratic right to protest in NSW.
‘No weasel words, just tell the community where you stand on this law Thomas and Ben.
‘I will vote against these laws in parliament and the Greens are leading the charge against this draconian crackdown that a clearly designed to intimidate protesters and benefit big mining and gas corporations.’
Meanwhile, Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham yesterday pleaded guilty to trespassing at Rio Tinto’s Mt Thorley Warkworth coal mine in the Hunter Valley in August last year.
No conviction was recorded and the charged was dismissed under Section 10 of the Crimes Act.
Despite the positive result, Mr Buckingham said the government’s proposed new anti-protest laws could prevent MPs from attending anti-mining protests because a conviction for a crime with a possible seven year penalty would mean an end to their parliamentary career.
‘Peacefully expressing a political point should not be punished by jail terms or crippling fines. This is Australia, not Putin’s Russia,’ he said.
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