[press release from Dark Lake Productions]
Gunns 20 defendant and Tasmanian filmmaker Heidi Douglas is pleased to have reached settlement over her long running court case with Gunns Ltd but vows to continue highlighting the need for freedom of speech in Australia.
"The Gunns 20 court case has taught me that we do not have a legislated right to freedom of speech or the right to protest in this country", she said.
Douglas has been involved with the case since 14 December 2004 when Gunns Ltd served a $6.4 million lawsuit to 17 individuals and three organisations. Douglas was engaged in the case through her role as an independent filmmaker and through her employment by The Wilderness Society.
"Gunns have failed in their bid to paint me as an organiser of illegal actions I had filmed in the course of my business", she said.
Douglas settlement with Gunns centred around a series of undertaking. She has agreed not to lock onto machinery, bar the way of operations into Gunns lands, or trespass on Gunns woodchip mills until 31st December 2011.
"The irony is I have only ever attended protests to film other people protesting. Ultimately the Gunns case has proved to be a massive waste of their shareholders money", she said.
"My thoughts are with the defendants who remain in this case and also with the Triabunna 13 defendants. What they are fighting for is a a right to freedom of speech in Australia", she said. Douglas is currently making a documentary about her experience of being sued.