The Premier, Colin Barnett, says Browse Basin gas reserves will definitely be processed at the site, despite objections from environmentalists.

But Peter Garrett says only the Commonwealth has the power to ultimately approve the project.

"It's absolutely clear, under the strategic assessment, that in order to approve the environmental conditions of any proposed plant in the Kimberley, that the Environment Minister provides that decision-making role," he said.

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... Decison making rubber stamp... see absolutely clear toon at top.

From John Kinsella at Unleashed

"Writing about the way people disregard their environment in pursuit of pleasure, is something akin to exploring the vagaries of narratology. If in the dictum of Henry James, we agree that character and incident are inextricably interwoven, and that one suggests the other, then we might consider that the individual's role, even be it a minor one, in a given incident, in some way carries the sign of their character, and also defines it.

Sure, there are some of us who believe in the good old omniscient narrator, say, a 'God', or 'Gods' who directs our actions in according to His (usually 'His') or their grand design, and that even allowing for free will, we fall into our places, perform our necessary acts, and participate in His glory and bounty. There's a logic tied to faith that gives primacy to the human in the Grand Design.

Whatever one's spiritual beliefs — and I respect all and none at the same time — it amazes me how systems of belief ultimately excuse the damaging and abuse of ecologies. Even the atheist (those who unbelieve hardest of all, and are usually the most ethically concerned, as it happens), will substitute an ethics which necessarily grants a privileged status to the 'everyman/everywoman' narrator, just to give purpose for living.

read more at Unleashed

Celebrity gardener Peter Cundall has been arrested outside Tasmania's Parliament House in Hobart.

The ABC presenter was with a protest group today calling for a royal commission into the approval of Gunns Ltd's proposed Bell Bay pulp mill in the state's north.

He and others refused a police direction to move away from the steps of Parliament House and was arrested and taken into custody.

Mr Cundall said he had never been arrested before and looked nervous before settling into the role as he walked away with a police officer to a waiting bus to the cheers of the mostly middle-aged-plus crowd of about 40 fellow protesters.

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The champion of gardeners in Aiustralia, Peter Cundall, was a celebrity presenter on Aussie TV..... and only retired recently at the young age of 82. To hear that he's been protesting about the environment degradation brought on by "business" is a ray of sunshine on this fast disintegrating planet... To hear that he was arrested shows how far he was prepared to fight for his knowledge not to be trampled upon like common daisies — or old growth stands of eucalyptus... Peter, we salute you. Peter Cundall that is, not Peter Garrett who's still trying to find his destiny...

Mr Cundall says he has received offers of legal help from all over the country, including Melbourne's Fitzroy Legal Service.

"I've already had several emails from prominent legal authorities in Australia offering to give full assistance," he said.

"I've had emails from every part of Australia - I didn't realise it went national - including several from a team of lawyers in Melbourne totally supportive and offering full assistance at no charge.

"[It] is an outstanding collection of some of the most dedicated lawyers and ex-judges in the country," he said.

The protesters are not due in court until next year.

Meanwhile, some of the arrested protesters have described police bail conditions as extreme.

Pulp the Mill spokeswoman Lucy Landon-Lane says police have told her and about 19 others to stay away from the waterfront area until they appear in court.

"It meant that we're not allowed to go back down to the waterfront region right from the IXL buildings right through Salamanca and up through Battery Point until we go to court, which is in about two months' time," she said.

"We're going to appeal those conditions in the magistrates court next week."

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See toon at top and read article above...

Tasmanian police have lifted strict bail conditions imposed on Peter Cundall and 55 pulp mill protesters arrested outside Parliament House in Hobart.

The ABC gardening personality was among those arrested for refusing to obey an order to leave the steps of parliament during Thursday's protest.

The protesters complained that the bail conditions stopped them from returning to Hobart's waterfront area for nearly two months over the summer period.

Commander Peter Edwards says after a review of last week's operation it was decided the strict conditions were no longer necessary.

"Sometimes [we] don't get it right and if we don't get it right we're quite prepared to put our hand up and rectify the situation," he said.

Mr Cundall says it is a great relief.

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PRESSURE is mounting on Kristina Keneally to reverse Nathan Rees's last-minute decision to create a massive national park along the Murray River to protect threatened river red gum forests.

The timber industry, supported by the Opposition and elements within the Labor Party, want her to reverse Mr Rees's pledge, which they say will cost hundreds of logging jobs. The decision - announced in State Parliament hours before Mr Rees was toppled as Premier by Ms Keneally on Thursday - is yet to be approved by the cabinet budget committee.

The row is spilling into the federal arena. The federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, pointedly endorsed Mr Rees's ''magnificent'' announcement.

Mr Garrett's department has been in dispute with Forests NSW over its logging practices in the region, which contains vulnerable species including the superb parrot.

''I welcome the NSW Government's announcement of a magnificent new red gum national park,'' Mr Garrett told the Herald. ''These forests and wetlands are a refuge for threatened species and deserve proper protection.

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Good on Garrett and Rees... Rees had the guts to stand up to the "mob" in NSW... Yes, the dirt files must be thick like bricks on those who voted to get rid of him... Logging the Murray red gums in this day and age is vandalism...

A senior police officer has told a Hobart court he warned media personality Peter Cundall and other anti-pulp mill protesters to leave an area outside Parliament House or they would be arrested.

Cundall and a fellow activist, Molly Anne Taylor, have pleaded not guilty to disobeying a police direction during a pulp mill protest rally last November.

Sergeant Gregory Chambers told the Hobart Magistrate's Court he was directed by Parliament's Sergeant at Arms to order the protesters away from the entrance.

He told the court he warned the protestors they had two minutes to leave the area, otherwise they were committing an offence and would be arrrested.

Cundall's case will determine whether the area outside Parliament is public space and if police believed the protesters were committing an offence.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/23/3019898.htm?section=justin

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Gus: Parliament IS PUBLIC SPACE... see toon at top and comments below it.