TASMANIAN environment groups like Save the Tarkine would be forbidden from challenging large developments in court under a federal government crackdown on ‘‘radical green activists’’ and ‘‘vigilante litigation’’. Attorney-General George Brandis will move to repeal a section of Australia’s environment legislation that allows conservationists to challenge approvals for large developments such as mining projects. Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic said the use of the courts to ‘‘publicise a political perspective’’ or ‘‘damage legitimate activities’’ was a misuse of a public institution. ‘‘Tasmania has suffered more than anywhere else from the damaging actions of radical green activists and vigilante litigation,’’ Mr Nikolic said. ‘‘Environmental organisations have used these inappropriate tactics for years to disrupt and sabotage businesses and important projects, to the detriment of local economies and jobs.’’ ‘‘The courts are there to settle legal matters not to be a platform for political grandstanding for a vocal minority of people in our community,’’ Mr Nikolic said. Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the changes were ‘‘scandalous’’ and echoed ‘‘the attack on due process’’ former premier Paul Lennon used to fast-track the pulp mill in 2007. ‘‘Removing the right of the community to test whether a minister has followed environmental guidelines is giving a free pass to the minister and a developer to operate above the law,’’ Senator Whish-Wilson said. ‘‘If these new laws pass then every mine in the Tarkine, every new bid for logging in the world heritage area or even a pulp mill fed by native forest could be approved without any opportunity for the community to test whether the approval was lawful,’’ he said. Save the Tarkine spokesman Scott Jordan said the laws would have impacted the group’s ability to take Shree Minerals Nelson Bay River mine through the federal court. ‘‘It would have meant [then environment minister] Tony Burke in the Shree matter, who had failed to conduct his assessment in accordance with the law, would have had his original decision upheld,’’ Mr Jordan said. ‘‘It’s definitely a step towards tyranny where we start saying that our ministers should be above the law,’’ he said.
TASMANIAN environment groups like Save the Tarkine would be forbidden from challenging large developments in court under a federal government crackdown on ‘‘radical green activists’’ and ‘‘vigilante litigation’’.
Attorney-General George Brandis will move to repeal a section of Australia’s environment legislation that allows conservationists to challenge approvals for large developments such as mining projects.
Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic said the use of the courts to ‘‘publicise a political perspective’’ or ‘‘damage legitimate activities’’ was a misuse of a public institution.
‘‘Tasmania has suffered more than anywhere else from the damaging actions of radical green activists and vigilante litigation,’’ Mr Nikolic said.
‘‘Environmental organisations have used these inappropriate tactics for years to disrupt and sabotage businesses and important projects, to the detriment of local economies and jobs.’’
‘‘The courts are there to settle legal matters not to be a platform for political grandstanding for a vocal minority of people in our community,’’ Mr Nikolic said.
Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the changes were ‘‘scandalous’’ and echoed ‘‘the attack on due process’’ former premier Paul Lennon used to fast-track the pulp mill in 2007.
‘‘Removing the right of the community to test whether a minister has followed environmental guidelines is giving a free pass to the minister and a developer to operate above the law,’’ Senator Whish-Wilson said.
‘‘If these new laws pass then every mine in the Tarkine, every new bid for logging in the world heritage area or even a pulp mill fed by native forest could be approved without any opportunity for the community to test whether the approval was lawful,’’ he said.
Save the Tarkine spokesman Scott Jordan said the laws would have impacted the group’s ability to take Shree Minerals Nelson Bay River mine through the federal court.
‘‘It would have meant [then environment minister] Tony Burke in the Shree matter, who had failed to conduct his assessment in accordance with the law, would have had his original decision upheld,’’ Mr Jordan said.
‘‘It’s definitely a step towards tyranny where we start saying that our ministers should be above the law,’’ he said.
