Media Release
March 26, 2000
Conservationists condemn Apollo Bay Blackout
Alleged logging industry dirty tricks may have gone too far
Apollo Bay conservationists and residents today expressed their horror at
the deliberate severing of Apollo Bay's power supplies during the annual
Apollo Bay music festival. Power lines to Apollo Bay were allegedly cut
down on Saturday evening with a chainsaw. Members of the Otway Ranges
Environment Network (OREN) are concerned that this incident has the
hallmarks of previous dirty tricks campaigns against conservationists. OREN
believes that it is significant that this incident has occurred in the week
leading up to the signing of the Western Regional Forest Agreement.
"Though we have no direct evidence implicating pro-logging interests in
this incident, there is a long history of dirty tricks against
conservationists in the immediate lead up to significant political events",
said OREN spokesperson Mr. Simon Birrell. "These dirty tricks have been
seen as attempts to discredit the work of conservationists immediately
before the signing of important agreements, state & federal elections and
other important forest related decisions".
In March 1995 police issued the following memo
"Information has been received that with the fluctuating
politics of the woodchipping debate, instances of damage to
logging equipment in forest areas might become more prevalent.
This relates in particular to damage being done by pro-logging
interests in an attempt to discredit the anti-woodchipping and
conservation movements.
Any member attending an incident of this type should notify the
relevant CIB and ensure that all investigative options are
explored - DO NOT assume that and act of damage to logging
equipment or logging infrastructure is done by conservationists
or members of anti - logging groups.
Information from Superintendent HALDANE, No 2 Division ,
Bairnsdale."
"If native forest logging interests are behind Saturday's power cut, then
it must be seen as a further example of the industry's contempt for the
pro-conservation concerns of the Otways community. This is not just an
attack against conservationists. This is an attack against Apollo Bay's
residents, families, the local hospital, tourism industry, and local
businesses," concluded Mr. Birrell.
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O t w a y s R a n g e s E n v i r o n m e n t N e t w o r k
An affilliation of Otway's residents, regional and Victorian
conservation groups, Community groups and campus conservation networks
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (OREN Propaganda)
WEB SITE http://www.oren.org.au
DO NOT assume that any act of damage to logging equipment or logging
infrastructure is done by conservationists or members of anti - logging
groups. - Victorian Police (internal memo)
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