PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
PROSECUTION OF THE GUNNS 20 (13 July 2005)

That this House condemns the action by the Australian woodchip company Gunns to sue 20 environmental groups, campaigners and politicians who have domestically opposed its role in the logging of old growth forests in Tasmania; believes this action is an attack on basic civil liberties and freedom of speech; condemns the actions of any company seeking to stifle legitimate public protest through aggressive and questionable legal proceedings; recognises that these iconic forests contain the tallest hardwood trees in the world and are home to many endangered species; notes that during the federal election in Australia in 2004 both the Coalition Government and Labour Opposition pledged to protect more of Tasmania's threatened old growth forests from the woodchip industry; further notes that public opinion polls show that 80 per cent. of the Australian public want all of Tasmania's old growth forests to be fully protected; urges Gunns to withdraw its law suit; further urges the Japanese companies Oji Paper Co, Nippon Paper Industries, Daio Paper Co, Chuetsu Pulp and Paper Co, Sumitomo Corporation, Itochu Corporation, Mitsui Co, Fuji Xerox, Canon and Ricoh to stop buying woodchips and paper sourced from Tasmanian old growth forests; and congratulates Mitsubishi Paper Mills on its recent decision to stop buying woodchips derived from Tasmanian old growth forests.

Sponsored by:
Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)