An attack by protestors on a sawmill in Tasmania this morning has prompted a call from the Managing Director of Britton Timbers that enough is enough. Source: Timberbiz
Eight Bob Brown Foundation protesters were arrested after an early morning sit-in at McKays sawmill in Brighton.
The protestors locked themselves to machinery and entrance gates.
“As the Managing Director of Britton Timbers, Tasmanias longest running family owned and operated timber processing business in the state today, I have seen my fair share of protest activity – and I have to admit to being a bit battle weary,” Shawn Britton said.
“With protestors locked on to the sawmill at McKay Timber today I feel for the employees and managers who are trying to resolve the situation. It really is time that Tasmanians said enough is enough to this madness.
“I condemn the actions of the extremist radicals from the Bob Brown Foundation who have endangered the lives of Tasmanians by locking onto the sawmill of McKay Timbers at Bridgewater today and I implore the rest of Tasmania to do the same,” Mr Britton said.
“The misguided ‘fly-in’ protestors employed and funded through the tax-free federal loopholes of the Bob Brown charity are not only endangering life but stopping a legitimate business from producing quality timber products that are required for Australia’s built environment.”
He said the protestors were going from business to business across Tasmania, terrorising employees, issuing death threats to managers, endangering lives and crippling economic activity at a time following COVID when it could be least afforded.
“Our 114-year-old timber processing business at Smithton and Somerset are at real risk of now being invaded by these thugs and while we have the support of our local community who would stand with us and condemn these protestors, we now have no alternative but to employ 24/7 security to keep our workplace safe and our business operating,” Mr Britton said.
“We have previously been targeted by these protestors while trying to selectively harvest two truckloads of very high quality special timbers and, as a business we had no support from the workplace regulator who failed in their duty to protect or prosecute basic breaches of worksafe laws, so we understand the pain McKay timbers are currently going through.”
