Mood:
smellyTopic: human rights
[This from Harriet Swift convenor of ChipStop, a very reputable person and group for the environment (according to SAM's Editor, Tom McLoughlin, solicitor in NSW)] 
Subject: Fundraiser for Jeni McMillan's court costs
FUNDRAISER FOR JENI McMILLAN'S COURT COSTS.
In 2004, Jeni McMillan was fined and arrested while filming the documentary 'Bankrupt - the man or the system?' in southern NSW forests. The story is an exposé of forest mismanagement and the impact it had on the lives of former forester, Gerhard Wiedmann and his partner Corinne Jenkins. Jeni had pro-bono legal support and paid for all her other expenses but still needs to raise 2900 dollars towards court costs. We are hoping to raise this with your support. Funds raised above this amount will go to The Bega Environment Centre.
Please pass this on to anyone who may be prepared to help.
thankyou,
Christal George and Jeni McMillan
A suggested donation is 75 dollars. (Perhaps lower income friends may consider a joint donation?)
Donations can be forwarded to:
Bendigo Bank Account
BSB 633 000
Account no. 130310105
J.McMillan
Doners so far include:
M.Smith and Sarah Chapman
Rainhills
JWP
Nallimson
A.McMillan
C;Handley
C.George
Jeni's story...
'I appealed against my original 100 dollar on the spot fine and won. The other charges were also dismissed. However NSW Forests chose to appeal the magistrate's decision to the NSW Supreme Court. I raised a constitutional challenge 'implied freedom of political communication' because we do not have a Bill of Rights in Australia to protect freedom of speech. We argued that a Forestry regulation for 'safety' was being misued to prevent information on their management practices being revealed to the public.'
...After 4 years of court proceedings her options were to take the matter to the High Court of Australia which would be prolonged, expensive and unlikely to succeed in front of a conservative bench. Or to have the case reheard in the local Bega court.
'I reluctantly chose the re-trail so I could get on with my life. I saw Gerhard and Corinne worn down by their battle for justice and I wanted to use my energy in more positive ways than being locked in a legal combat that was being increasingly narrowed by the terms of the law.'
...The local judge gave his verdict in favour of NSW Forests.
All Jeni's documentary work has been self funded. The documentary 'Bankrupt' was used in TWS' Forests for Water roadshow and continues to be screened at Grass roots venues and recently on channel 31. Since Jeni has been in France she has screened the film at a community venue and given a public lecture on the subject 'What positive changes can we make?'
See the documentary in two parts at:
http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/jmcmillan/videos/bankrupt_part1.avi/view?searchterm=jeni%20McMillan
http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/jmcmillan/videos/bankrupt_part2.avi/view?searchterm=jeni%20McMillan
