Dear Tasmanian member of parliament:

Re: Police Workplaces Bill (the anti-protest bill)

My name is Colette Harmsen and I am a veterinarian. I completed my Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland in meeanjin/Brisbane as veterinary science is not a degree offered at the University of Tasmania.

I was born in nipaluna/Hobart and returned here after graduating in 1999 to practice veterinary science. The state of the environment has always troubled me, and I have participated in non-violent direct action for at least 15 years. I have been arrested many times trying to protect Tasmania’s environment and I am currently on a 3 month suspended jail term for trespass while peacefully protesting.

These are my current bail conditions:

– I must live at 430 Tinderbox Road, Tinderbox, Tasmania during the period of bail and not change that address without prior approval of the Court, and be there between the hours of 10pm and 6am, and between those hours I must present myself to a police officer there if so required.

– I am not to be found outside a 30 kilometre radius of 430 Tinderbox Road, Tinderbox, save and except for travel to court appearance by direct route without unnecessary stoppage or deviation.

– I must not be found west of Devonport

My next court date is September the 27th where I have been instructed I will likely be given a jail term to serve. I have had 7 curfew visitations by police in the last 6 weeks to my home. I believe this penalty for peaceful protesting is quite harsh, as people with far more violent, serious and aggressive crimes get the same punishment as me, and all of my arrests have involved trying to protect the environment in a peaceful way.

The new laws are unequivocally aimed at targeting peaceful environmental protesters like myself, and indicate an increasingly harsh approach to the people who feel they have to put their bodies on the line, because the climate emergency is not being taken seriously.

I do not think that stronger punishments for protesters will prevent us from protesting, they will only cause the already stretched Tasmanian justice system a whole lot more work. Please consider voting against the bill. I would be very happy to speak to you about this – within 30km of my home, and between 6am and 10pm.

Sincerely
Dr Colette HarmsenBVSc