1982: Protests against Franklin Dam in Tasmania lead to formation of the Greens Political Party
In 1982 protesters and environmental activists worked with the Australian Government to stop the damming of the Franklin River.
This action saved a key wilderness area in Tasmania and created a political precedent for the raising of environmental concerns in parliament.
The political success of the environmental groups involved ultimately led to the formation of The Greens, Australia’s third most popular political party behind the Liberal-National Coalition and the Labor Party.
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A song by Shane Howard©1983 Shane Howard
oh Tasmania
the hardest heart could understand
just to feel your wilderness
your silence sings to me
let the Franklin flow
let the wild lands be
the wilderness should be strong and free
from Kuta Kina to the south-west shore
has to be something worth fighting for
we fell the forests and we scar the land
has to be something worth fighting for
and desecrate it with greedy hands
destroy the beauty that nature planned
a thousand people arrested and bailed
has to be something worth fighting for
voices crying in the wilderness
saying this is something worth fighting for
oh Tasmania
the hardest heart could understand
just to feel your wilderness
your silence sings to me
Notes
Many thanks to Shane Howard for permission to add this song to the Union Songs collection.
Visit Shane's website at http://shanehoward.com.au/
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