Public support saves Greens leader
Thousands in public donations have saved Greens Leader Bob Brown from bankruptcy and subsequent expulsion from parliament.
Senator Brown said he was “deeply moved” by the overwhelming public support that enabled him to keep his seat in the upper house.
“Most of the donations are modest but they range from $7 to $20,000. I am extremely grateful and send my heartfelt thanks to everyone who offered support,” he said.
“It shows how strongly people feel about the fate of Tasmania’s wild forests and their wildlife. There were many more offers to raise money.”
Senator Brown promised any extra money collected would be used to fund current court battles over logging in Tasmania in an effort to “save Australia’s forests”.
On Monday, Senator Brown revealed a $239,000 personal debt owed to state-owned Forestry Tasmania over a failed legal dispute concerning logging in Tasmania’s Wielangta Forest.
The clerk of the Senate, Harry Evans, had advised Senator Brown that he would lose his seat in the upper house if he failed to pay the debt by the June 29 deadline.
Senator Brown accused the Tasmanian government of heavy-handed tactics and as an effort to remove him from parliament.
“It is very clear this is a pressure game being played by Forestry Tasmania, no doubt with political backing, to threaten my seat in the Senate,” he told The Mercury.
“They won’t succeed. I won’t back off from defending Tasmania’s magnificent forests and its wildlife.”
A spokesman for Forestry Tasmania, Ken Jeffrey’s, said Senator Brown’s declaration of the legal costs was a media stunt.
“We offered in the last 12 months to settle for around $200,000. That offer was rejected by Senator Brown’s lawyers, who asked for $140,000,” Jeffrey’s said.
“That wasn’t acceptable to Forestry Tasmania so we had no choice but to go back to the Federal Court registrar and came back with a certificate for $239,000.”
Senator Brown replied that a survey last week, by a Wilderness Society consultant, showed that Forestry Tasmania had been given $630 million in public subsidies over the past 11 years.
“Perhaps the $240,000 payment could be put to a good public conservation cause by Forestry Tasmania,” Senator Brown said.
– BY STUART HENRY
