The Last Stand, a new action-based environmental group that has launched a campaign against Australian retail companies profiting from the logging of native forests, released the statement below on August 24.
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Today, almost 50 activists have taken action at four sites across Australia to protest Harvey Norman’s sale of wood products sourced from native forest destruction. Four activists have been arrested.
“Australia’s worldclass native forests are in crisis. The Last Stand has taken action today to say No Harvey No! From the forest floor to a Harvey Norman store, activists across Australia have taken a stand to stop the chain of forest destruction,” said Ula Majewski, spokesperson for The Last Stand.
In central Sydney, two climbers were arrested after abseiling from the roof of the Homemakers Supa Centa in Moore Park, unfurling a massive 8 x 10 metre banner stating “No Harvey No! Break the chain of forest destruction”.
The Last Stand’s “Forest Investigative Unit” entered the Moore Park store to identify and label native forest furniture.
At Dixie Cummings’ furniture distribution warehouse in western Sydney, two forest activists blockaded the facility for more than six hours by locking themselves to gates. “No Harvey No” has been painted in giant letters on shipping containers located onsite.
Two activists have been arrested at Auswest Timbers in Bairnsdale, Victoria. However, after nine hours, they remain locked to the facility gates. On the forest floor, in an East Gippsland logging coupe that was formerly home to the endangered long-footed potoroo, activists unfurled a banner in the midst of forest devastation.
Majewski said: “Harvey Norman continues to profit from the destruction of Australia’s native forests. Today, we have taken action to highlight the chain of forest decimation that starts on the forest floor and ends in the showrooms of Harvey Norman stores right across the country."