Dr. Brown’s lawyers argue the charge should be dismissed.
A former leader of Australia’s Green party and veteran environmentalist is before the courts fighting a trespass charge related to an incident in 2022, where he and two others were arrested at an anti-logging protest in Tasmania.
Robert (Bob) Brown, who served as senator and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens until 2012, was arrested along with Kristy Lee Alger and Karen Lynne Weldrick for allegedly trespassing in Tasmania’s Eastern Tiers Forrest Reserve on Nov. 8, 2022.
The trio have all pleaded not guilty to the single charge of trespass, appearing in front of Magistrate Jackie Hartnett in Hobart Magistrates Court.
The defendants said they were in the Snow Hill area to try and protect—from logging—the nesting habitat of an endangered swift parrot, which is native to south-eastern Australia.
Sustainable Timber Tasmania forest officer Dion McKenzie said the tree, which had been occupied by an activist,…
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