Extinction Rebellion lawyer Lisa Stone slams Australia’s treatment of climate change protesters

A south coast lawyer has slammed Australia’s treatment of climate protesters after three of her clients shut down the main street of Bega.

The lawyer for three Extinction Rebellion members fined after protesting outside and on top of the electoral office of NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance, has slammed Australia’s treatment of climate activists.

Moruya lawyer Lisa Stone said outside Begal Local Court on Tuesday, Australia was “running behind in how it treats climate activists”.

“Other countries have dealt with their climate change activists much, much more in some ways lenient. But here we are, in Australia,” she said.

“Nobody can take Forestry NSW to court over a breach of any law or any act, and they are the biggest greenhouse emitter on the south coast.

Moruya lawyer Lisa Stone outside Bega Local Court on Tuesday. Picture: Extinction Rebellion Bega Valley

“If all cars were taken off the road in Sydney for a year, that would be the equivalent of greenhouse emissions by Forestry Corporation.”

Ms Stone was presented with flowers by her clients, grandfather Andrew James Turnbull, 28-year-old Jarrad Hollinger, and 53-year-old preschool teacher Susan Andrew as they left court.

The three were among five people arrested in Bega by police on June 8, after using what the three say was nonviolent civil disobedience hoping to trigger government action on climate change and biodiversity loss in order to avoid the risk of social and ecological collapse.

Andrew pleaded guilty to hiding tools/clothes/property to unlawfully influence a person. entering enclosed land without a lawful excuse and refusing to comply with a direction and risking the safety of another by climbing onto a building.

She was convicted and fined $2700 by Magistrate Doug Dick.

Turnbull pleaded guilty to refusing to comply with a police direction, wilfully preventing free passage of a person, and hindering police in the execution of duty, damaging property and hiding tools/clothes/property to unlawfully influence a person.

He was convicted and fined $2700.

Tarraganda's Andrew Turnbull superglued his hand to Bega MP Andrew Constance's office in June. Picture: David Gallan

Hollinger pleaded guilty to entering enclosed land without a lawful excuse, refusing to comply with a direction, risking the safety of another by climbing onto a building and wilfully obstructing a police officer in the execution of duty and hiding tools/clothes/property to unlawfully influence a person.

He was convicted and fined $2500.

Supporters, including striking high school students, called for the charges to be dropped.

“It’s so beautiful to have all the support outside court today. It shows solidarity. I look forward to having it done so I can move on,” Andrew said outside court.

Hollinger said further protests are being planned for the Bega area in the future.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen but we have a lot of good support and we’ll be back again,” he said outside court.

Extinction Rebellion protesters at Bega MP Andrew Constance's office on June 8.

Turnbull, who superglued his hand to the front door of the office, said he had “no option” but to protest.

“We know about the medical science and how it saves lives around Covid, we also know the science that could save lives all around the planet,” he said outside court.

“I have no choice but to continue getting this message out until we see real change like closing down fossil fuels.”

One supporter outside court said police had shown “overreach” by shutting down the town’s main street on June 8 until protesters were removed.

A spokeswoman for Extinction Rebellion said the group was demanding Australia “reach net zero emissions by 2025 and halt biodiversity loss”.

“For a safer future we are organising to shift political power away from corporate and government collusion,” they said.

“In this emergency, never before has solidarity across justice and environment groups mattered so much.

“Time is running out. Our current system has proven itself unfit for purpose. We need binding citizens’ assemblies to address these challenges and ensure a safe future for coming generations.”

A Forestry Corporation spokeswoman said the state owned company does not agree with Ms Stone’s comments on greenhouse emissions.

“Forestry Corporation operates sustainable harvesting to produce renewable timber products from around one per cent of State Forests each year, all of which are fully regrown after harvesting,” she said.

“ Timber is the most renewable building product available – it is the only major building product that stores carbon for the life of the products harvested and it has a lower carbon footprint than alternatives such as concrete or steel and all areas harvested for timber are completely regrown for the future.

“The same State forests have been continually harvested and regrown for more than 100 years and are carefully managed to ensure they will continue to provide environmental, economic and social benefits for future generations.”

She said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change “recognises that managing forests for sustainable timber production plays a large, sustained role in mitigating climate change”.

“Where wood carbon is transferred to harvested wood products, these can store carbon over the long-term and can substitute for emissions-intensive materials reducing emissions in other sectors (high confidence),” the spokeswoman said.

“Forestry Corporation’s operations are completely transparent, independently audited to ensure compliance with strict environmental regulations that protect wildlife and environmental values and certified to the Australian Standard for Sustainable Timber Production – Responsible Wood.”