BY BILL MASON &
TIM STEWART
BRISBANE — In an extraordinary move against food-irradiation protesters, the Queensland Labor government, through its Department of State Development, has taken out charges in the Supreme Court against an individual activist, Robyn Taubenfeld, in order to evict a community protest camp on the site of a proposed nuclear irradiation plant at Narangba, 40km north of Brisbane.
The protest camp was set up in June 2002, after the government reneged on the state ALP's platform which states: "Labor will: prohibit the establishment of nuclear irradiation plants in Queensland". Police and the Department of State Development officials have been unable to find a legal pretext to shut down the protest camp over the last seven months.
A statement released the Narangba protesters argues that the legal action against Taubenfeld "is an undemocratic attempt to silence the voice of protest and community concern". It accuses the government of acting under pressure from Statham Construction, the building contractor, and Steritech, the plant's owner-operator.
The statement noted that "If State Development is successful in persecuting/targeting an individual spokesperson in this way, it would be an unfortunate precedent for protest movements, community groups and trade unions in Queensland."
Taubenfeld, who is to appear in court on February 5 as an alleged "representative of all protesters", commented that the "reason for the eviction is that the camp is a thorn in the side of the government and Steritech. Targeting myself is aimed at intimidating people from protesting."
She has received support from a number of unions, community organisations and civil liberties groups, and will be appearing in court as an individual only.
Meanwhile, a call for action has been issued to support the protest camp on Monday February 10, at 7.30am, the day of the proposed eviction. The camp is situated at Lot 7, Potassium St, Narangba Industrial Estate, Deception Bay. For more information, contact (07) 3876 2267 or visit <http://www.foodirradiationinfo.org>.
From Green Left Weekly, February 5, 2003.
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