Greens leader Samantha Ratnam to join Liberal Party to block anti-protest Bill

The Victorian Greens leader says an anti-protest Bill marks a “grim day” for native forests, and urged the Liberals to block it, but the government says it could prevent a tragedy.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam has urged the opposition and crossbench to strike down ‘draconian’ anti-protest laws. Picture: Paul Jeffers

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam says she wants to join forces with the Liberals to block an anti-protest Bill that has passed through the lower house.

Ms Ratnam said the progress of the Bill marked a “grim day” for the state’s native forests and demanded opposition and crossbench support to vote it down in the Legislative Council.

The proposed laws would result in people being fined up to $21,000 or sentenced to up to 12 months’ jail for protesting logging in designated timber harvesting safety zones.

Liberal MPs supported the Bill in the lower house.

Four unions, including the Maritime Union of Australia and the United Workers Union, on Tuesday issued a joint letter criticising the proposed amendments as “undemocratic”.

“The major parties have joined forces to pass a Bill that will threaten and intimidate peaceful protesters simply trying to save our environment,” she said.

“Time and time again we hear this government talk a big game on climate and the environment, but it’s in moments like these that their true colours show.”

Ms Ratnam said Victoria was the most cleared state in Australia and accused the government of caving to the forestry sector.

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam says Victoria is the most cleared state in Australia and accused the government of caving to the forestry sector. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“Logging is a threat to our native wildlife and plant life. I urge the opposition and crossbench to strike down these draconian laws,” she said.

Ms Ratnam said the government had been unable to offer specific examples of serious injuries or fatalities involving protesters in logging areas, despite its calls for the proposed laws in the name of workplace safety.

Premier Daniel Andrews did not name any particular incidents that had influenced the government’s push for new laws but said he was sure there had been “near misses”.

“The fact that a tragedy hasn’t occurred doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t act to do everything we can to make sure that it’s less likely,” Mr Andrews said.

“Some of these work sites, indeed many in many industries, are potentially very, very dangerous places … they need to be regulated, they need to be safe.

“Often these things can be very much on the edge, only for another metre or another half an hour … all of a sudden something very different might happen.”

The Premier said he “understood the themes” of the joint letter by unions slamming the Bill, but maintained the government had workers’ support in pursuing the changes.

“We think that we’ve struck the appropriate balance, we think that every worker deserves to be safe,” Mr Andrews said.

“This has come from workers, many of whom are members of unions.”