SAFE Action Group In December 93 an informal meeting occurred at Commonground. Bryan Law was visiting from his North Queensland hideaways, Margaret Pestorious was in her element and Louise Finnegan and this author were returning from Spanner business in Adelaide. Affinity groups, their formation and dynamics, were the main topics. Bryan informed us about the Skyrail development near Cairns and we drafted an experiment. We would aim to use a small group with a high proportion of skilled Nv 'leaders', mostly from ANN, to seed following affinity groups. Bryan Law was our local key contact. He identified the beginning of construction as the best opportunity for our experiment to be of assistance to the overall campaign. Skyrail is a private mass tourism development in a National Park and World Heritage area. The proposed development would be a cablecar above the canopy of wet tropical rainforest. Forty-two pylons and two viewing stations would be required and the construction of these would entail clearing sections of the rainforest. Further, the visual amenity of the National Park would be compromised. There existed substantial opposition to the project within the local community on the receiving end of the cableway, namely Kuranda. This opposition was organised through PAKS ( People Against Kuranda Skyrail). In the nearby city of Cairns (population approx. 100,000) a recent poll had shown a clear majority supporting the Skyrail project. CAFNEC (Cairns and Far North Environment Centre) is a mainstream local environment organisation with high levels of credibility within the community. This organisation is credited with coordinating the four years of research and observation that alerted the people to the nature of Skyrail, thus seeding PAKS. The construction began in June '94. Margaret and Bryan prepared with nonviolence workshops, creating the Wilderness Action Group. This group organised an action, but the feelings in the main camp once the clearing of rainforests began, stirred urgency with despair. Bryan was required elsewhere and Margaret decided the situation did not lend itself to a nonviolence affinity group realising its maximum potential. We decided upon initiating a second wave. Bryan had lived through the urgency/despair trip in the crucible of isolation at Fraser Island1, and his opinion was that this trip did not last very long. People had committed to a twelve month campaign. We waited. It began to appear that late September - early October would be the most convenient time for Bryan and I. Unfortunately Margaret had to return to the South and Kev Thomasson, (North Queensland ANN local) was not available. The maximum number of activists ANN put in the field at any one time during the early life of this affinity group was two. Was this due to lack of notification? Or is Cairns $450 or four hard days travel from Melbourne? I arrived on Bryan's doorstep at midnight on the second morning of October. We got immediately down to business. On the way through, I had bought in Justice Products the NAB2 book. The midnight oil burned. The first meeting was at 3.00 p.m. Sunday October 2. There I met Bronwyn, Graham and Dawn. A meeting was called at the base camp for Monday night at 5.00 p.m. Bronwyn and Graham to spread the word, James and Bryan to move camp, to the Marshall's. Monday October 3. A press conference is called at the current construction site for 1.00 p.m. to announce the formation of an affinity group. Good media attendance. They look hungry for a story. Everything was running according to plan when three people turn up unannounced, in Stop Skyrail T-shirts. They cause a calculated disturbance, actuating one opportunity for a man to stick his head in front of a camera. The Marshall's are a couple around eighty years old. In recent decades they have been making a living out of growing exotic fruits and orchids. They live surrounded by rainforest. Skyrail will bring 600 people per hour whizzing by 60 metres from their house. They have been struggling against Skyrail for seven years. They have allowed a base camp to be established on their property. We hold the 5 o'clock meeting under their house. Thirteen attended but two soon faded. Eleven people agreed to participate in an experiment, the formation of a nonviolent affinity group to conduct a ten day campaign to stop Skyrail. Among other things, it was agreed that the close of the group would be Tuesday 6.00 p.m. The two major items resolved were the naming of the group and the groups' Code of Ethics. The name was decided by informal brainstorm. We became SAFE action group, being an acronym for Save Australian Forests for Everyone. We liked it. We designed the Code of Ethics by conducting a brainstorm, a simplification, then a detailed discussion to finalise wording. We ended up with five points. 1. Participants will be nonviolent at all times. 2. No damage to property. 3. Commitment to openness and accountability. 4. Commitment to support each other through preparation, action, arrest, trial, punishment and victory. 5. Create an aura of love around ourselves, each other and others - and draw upon our full and powerful spiritual connections with our mother Earth. The meeting ended with Bryan leading us in a ritual. We called upon the help of spirits or natural forces to which we felt an affinity. Tuesday. With only ten days we decided to express confidence by arranging police, developer and media liaison. I performed police liaison with a young fellow with an orange mohawk. Two of the five assembled coppers seemed to have met my friend Paul before, but the Inspector in charge was more interested in what we were going to do. I told him that we honestly didn't know given that the membership was yet to be finalised. We undertook to give twenty-four hours notice of any action we conduct. The meeting that night started an hour late and there were new faces. After report backs we dived straight into the issue of participation. There were thirteen adults present who wanted to be in SAFE. We agreed that this be the group and a small ritual was shared in celebration. The group moved onto other issues but was tested when thirty minutes later three more people wandered in. It was put to the group that an affinity group is about generating close relationships of support with all the other members. In this circumstance, in order to bond within a campaign of only ten days, this author suggested a maximum of around fourteen. We bit the bullet, the ritual decided the matter and SAFE were thirteen activists and a small child, nine men and four women. Next we discussed the possible roles for supporters. At this meeting we also designed an action agenda for the next eight days. A brainstorm was refined to eight specific actions. More out of a desire not to drop any actions we ended up with a five action agenda. Friday the circus at Caravonica, Monday a banner hang off a large building, Tuesday an occupation of the DEH offices, and for the grand finale Wednesday morning we would have a prayer vigil outside the local member's office and in the afternoon we would blockade the Caravonica site. Wednesday, October 5 before sunrise we were rustling about in the rare cool, preparing for a reconnaissance mission. Two vehicles went down and thoroughly sussed the start of work and the first hour thereafter at the construction site. A midday meeting discussed this intelligence and dynamics for the Caravonica circus were decided upon. The afternoon was spent creating props and for me, learning to stilt walk. Others prepared media and legal briefings. Bryan attended a meeting of CAFNEQ and upon acceptance of our Code of Ethics, they endorsed our direct action campaign. Thursday was a day of further preparation, not without apprehension. My major concern was the lack of formal group bonding or discipline. Bryan though was always a great help in keeping me in touch with the reality of the situation. Bryan had also been feeding the media plenty of good bait. Local radio and press were already getting worked up. To some extent though, the media release tail began to wag the affinity group dog. Another area of contention arose regarding the degree of openness. Some of the 'feral' style activists in the group could not be persuaded from hiding in the nearby cane fields and running onto the site at some given signal. How this fits into the ethic of openness still fails me. Bryan used the media release tool to good effect. The group had empowered and trusted Bryan to coordinate all media. Bryan used his valuable writing skills to paint a picture of our first action as a circus. The amazing Wazuli Brothers would attempt to storm the site on stilts, the fabulous, rare Paradise Possum would enact ancient marsupial rites, and our very special mystery guest was, the world famous Kryptonite Houdini!, Reverse escapologist extraordinaire. Who is Kryptonite? Where is Kryptonite? When will Kryptonite appear? This deft use of humour short circuited any potential conflict over this critical issue. Certainly a pragmatic solution, but given the time constraints and the accepted pragmatic nature of most participants, an effective one. Further the humour became infectious and by Thursday evening the crew were all pretty happy and ready for the roller coaster ride they had created. Friday, October 7. With the action advertised to begin at 9.00 a.m. we were required on site at 7.30 for setup. We first created a SAFE area by erecting a small cordoned off area. Through police liaison we established that people in this area were free from prosecution provided they remain peaceful. In the SAFE area we erected a tripod and an information stall. Reconnaissance had identified the maximum use of the footpath between the SAFE area and the Skyrail site occurred at 8.30, being children and parents going to the adjacent school. Sure enough, as soon as the stall was erected a gaggle of school kids materialised around it. Unfortunately, a half of our group had failed to follow the kids' example. The SAFE area also abutted a reasonably busy road. There was plenty of response from passing traffic, 80% negative. The private security on site offered us a beautiful example of who had the initiative when they hurriedly erected a simple fence. Media arrived in force and the scene was set. Our plan had three parts. 1. Circus performers with stilt walkers, media interviews and testing of security. 2. Wazuli Bros storm the line to coincide with 3. the appearance of Kryptonite and supporter from nearby cane field. Kryptonite and friend had entered the field before dawn. It was a hot unpleasant sort of morning to spend in a cane field. However, the majority of the security were clearly concerned about their presence because they spent the whole morning covering the cane fields, creating all sorts of wonderful opportunities for the bold at the front gate, before the cameras. And the boldest of fellows, never one to let a chance go by, is Bryan Law. In an act of pure spontaneity, Bryan abandoned his stilts and charged into the site; charging more in the sense of a hippo than the cavalry. A more fleet of foot security official chased him and upon nearing, Bryan went down on one knee and rolled onto his back. The sight reminded me of a big puppy. It made nearly all local TV broadcasts that night. (One station is owned by the developer's father.) As we were still in stage one, Bryan agreed to leave and was retuned to our midst. When stage two unfolded there were only two security guards on hand. The police maintained a hands off approach. They would only come if the owner asked. One of the guards made it his personal business to see to it that Bryan Law did not get back onto that site. With so little to hold them back about fifteen people spontaneously entered the site. Most were not SAFE members. The machinery on site consisted of a bulldozer, excavator, compacter and three big trucks. People ran everywhere. At one stage a person not in SAFE got a hold of the dozer blade. The driver changed from reverse to forward. A disaster was averted only by the extreme agility of the person involved. This same person then led a comical chase scene before a bumbling security guard. Camera crews were supplied a feast of photo opportunities. After five minutes it was clear that this spontaneous action had exhausted the scope of creativity of the actors. I took it upon myself to spontaneously organise the end of the action, and called people off the site. This took a further five minutes. Kryptonite turned up without having been able to get near to a machine. Back at SAFE area everyone was accounted for, with no arrests. We closed with a whoosh and a belated attempt to organise an evaluation. Two separate times emerged and with people bailing rapidly (still plenty of work to be done) no time was resolved. Back at camp no valuable evaluation emerged. Preparations for an information stall the next day proceeded. That night high quality TV coverage was obtained. No group bonding activities unfolded with people all heading their own way. By the end of this day I had to resign myself to the reality that the majority of the group were hippies whose culture was conducted in a purple haze of marijuana smoke. This resignation included releasing any hopes of revolutionary process being practised. Back to boring old practices like mostly men taking decisions, more emotional harassment than support and large helpings of me me me culture. Thank the Earth that our first action had been so successful. Saturday October 8. Another early start as we headed into Cairns for the local market there, to conduct our stall and raise funds. Many of the locals who were prepared to talk, supported the development. Asked if they supported private developments in National Parks, they said no. This led me to believe that a clearer focus needed to be put on this aspect of our campaign. This opinion was shared by our chief propagandist, Mr. Law, who also staffed the stall. Once again, there was a distinct lack of participation by the group in this unglamorous activity. A meeting had been organised for 1.00pm to arrange the banner action. During the morning the climber who had been touted as the main activist in this action withdrew. Nobody else had experience, except me. We closed the stall at midday so that we could go and check the building. Three of us conducted a thorough reconnaissance and came to the conclusion that this banner hang that other people proposed and talked about was not on. Having conducted this necessary task, we were an hour late to the meeting. Not to worry, only one person beat us. A decent quorum didn't turn up until three hours late. We realigned the action agenda. Monday we would invade the government offices, Tuesday the local member and Wednesday Caravonica. Sunday October 9. Some rest and a little preparation. Monday October 10. Arrived central Cairns at 7.30am. Action scheduled for 9.00 a.m. Had props set by 8.30 and conducted an auction of wood removed from National Park tower clearings, signed by Manfred3. Police liaison revealed they had not read their weekend fax printouts. They appeared a little miffed and somewhat underprepared. Nevertheless they arrived in force when informed of our undertaking to enter the offices of DEH (Department of Environment and Heritage), and attempt to speak to the Environment minister, Molly Robson, on the phone. We formed a circle at 8.50, clarified our purpose and empowered our delegation to go inside. At 9.00 a.m. our delegation conducted a doorstop media conference. Before this event was completed the regional director of DEH appeared to inform us that he had the minister's principal secretary on the phone and requested ten to fifteen minutes to get the minister on the phone. Recognising this as an attempt to steal the initiative, we immediately responded by giving them a full twenty minutes to get organised. 9.06 a.m. A drinks intermission followed. Media hung, cops built in numbers. 9.26am and no director. Another doorstep and in we went. Our delegation comprised six activists, two for each main entrance, one for the fire escape and a communications runner. An unplanned seventh followed on the pretext of driving a video camera. This was the same person who had attended the previous Monday's press conference unannounced. The media followed us in. The lift to the first floor was jammed as was the small foyer. All doors were locked so cops, media and SAFE crew all jammed in together with the director. The director offered us a phone call with the minister's secretary . We asked for a minute to make a decision. Granted. SAFE formed a circle and decided that we were here to speak to the minister and nothing less. If they locked us out, we would cover all exits and they would effectively be locking themselves in. All this was conducted openly before the cameras and made great coverage that night. The offer was refused, and teams were dispersed to the other exits. Clearly the police present had not been listening. Five of us got in the next lift and headed for other exits. No police followed. Our runner came with us so he knew where to find us. Stationed at the other end of the building, My friend and I attempted to enter the offices. All doors locked. After a few minutes a staff member came out of the lifts heading for the doors. I accompanied him, informing him of my commitment to enter the offices at the first possible opportunity. I asked him how he would keep me out. Enter very fast he reckoned, and so he tried. So did I. A comic little struggle developed with the door toing and froing until one particularly zealous public servant gave me the big shove from within. The siege had begun. Moments later though, our runner arrived with the news that Bryan and Bronwyn had been arrested. We returned to the front foyer. On our way we passed behind the heavily guarded front door to get into a lift. The police there seemed very committed to keeping people outside from coming in while the director conducted a media conference outside. Meanwhile the police on the first floor seemed very surprised to see us. I restated my commitment to enter the offices and the director was rapidly summoned to read me the necessary riot act. I restated my commitment. The two activists with me were allowed to leave and I was soon led away to meet Bryan, Bronwyn and the video camera man in the watchhouse. We had upset someone. We were held for five hours. Bryan had gone limp upon arrest, as is his policy. This always presents arresting police with a large burden few of them ever want to carry. On this occasion, so keen were they to convince Bryan to walk that they applied pain compliance holds excessively; to the point of damaging his wrists. Bryan made a complaint immediately, and upon release was taken off to a doctor. The doctor confirmed the damage and the complaint proceeded. Upon release, an informal decision was agreed to by all present that the court appearances were better than the local member's suburban offices as far as media opportunities were concerned. Tuesday October 12. Court at 9.30. The media were on hand in droves. The minister had responded to our action through radio interviews and a press release. The SAFE action group was named. She refuted responsibility for the documents we had demanded, namely the development agreements between the government and the company. Thus we attacked her capacity to manage National Parks, and among other things suggested she find a real job. Similarly we challenged the developer to release these documents. Being unrepresented we were the last to appear. We all pleaded guilty and received 75% of the maximum fine, that is $180 or 6 days. The media also offered us the chance to speak after court. I stated that I would not be paying any fine as this would be rewarding the government for their unjust application of the law. I would do the time. After court we were into the preparations for the final action. I rang the earth moving contractors to request an opportunity to address the machine operators. During the course of the conversation the manager informed me that a union official who had seen the coverage on Friday evening had been in touch to remind the company of their responsibilities under the Workplace Health and Safety Act. The operators' approach would be slightly different this time around. Skyrail disallowed any meeting. Wednesday October 13. The 1.30 start meant a full morning to prepare and focus. Nevertheless, Bryan and I are the first to arrive again. Bryan finally cracks and refuses to do any of the set up work. We go on reconnaissance. By 1.15 everything is ready. The media are in abundance, the police are about in representative numbers and the private security are behind their single strand of wire. We form a circle and make our statements of intent. At the end of this the foreman of the site addresses us and tells we risk prosecution if we enter. Then a sergeant gives us a direction not to enter. We test to see how many are still going on. Twenty-five. There are about thirty other supporters. The TV crews need action fast to meet deadlines so Bryan gets us directly under way. We link hands and march single file around the perimeter of the site. We arrived at the perimeter point closest to the excavator. We have identified the excavator as the key machine. If it is stopped, all work on the site will be stopped. The crew were a little hesitant. I went up and down the line and called for focus. The starter was called up and the signal given, 'Talle Mahouta' (NZ god of the forest). The straggly line of a dozen or so security men clutched at thin air, allowing us all to pass unhindered. Bryan was seen to be the first to break into a run as he headed for the excavator. All activists arrived at their chosen target machines. Two locked on. The operators turned their machines off, found a place in the shade and watched the show. Work was stopped. The police gave each activist every chance of leaving without arrest. Nine chose to obstruct the work until they were removed. The work was stopped for a minimum of thirty minutes. An hour later there we were in the cool of the watchhouse again. Spirits were high, with plenty of singing and chanting. At one stage the coppers demanded we refrain. At around this time, two or three hours inside, one of our team began to become a little unstable. There had been no warnings offered. He was not a small man, and he became very abusive and threatening, particularly towards the police. This was by far the most threatened I had felt during the SAFE group. We managed to placate him sufficiently for the releases to continue. He was last out. Upon release we headed across the road to a pub to catch the news. A group of locals identified Bryan and I such was the amount of coverage SAFE had generated. More bucket loads of good coverage, most going statewide. Again, there was no formal debriefing. People had spread far and wide after the action. Back at camp there were informal discussions around the fire and over dinner. There was a great feeling to be sure. We talked, sang and drank red wine until each person said their good nights and disappeared into the rainforest darkness. Thursday October 14. 9.30 court. We faced Cairns' notorious 'hanging' magistrate, charged with remaining on lands without lawful excuse. Maximum penalty, $240 or six months. We conducted another doorstop press conference at which the media showed great interest. Back inside to wait. While waiting, one of our supporters was approached by three plain clothes detectives from the drug squad. She was officially detained on suspicion of possession, and taken next door to the central police station. There she was strip searched in a public access toilet. Nothing was found and the woman was released. That we had really upset someone was soon to become even more clear. We agreed to all plead guilty. The cases were heard separately. The magistrate recorded no conviction and issued a good behaviour bond for the first case. The second recorded a conviction and got another good behaviour bond, for $500. The maximum fine was $240. I was third case. I was given a two year good behaviour bond. I declined to sign such a bond, stating that when I make an undertaking I stick to it and that I wouldn't undertake not to break laws that fostered injustice. The magistrate had a long hard think about that and gave me five days in jail, starting right then and there. I informed him that such a decision would put my employment at risk and that I had a bus out of town booked for that evening but he would no longer address me. Bryan was up next. He followed suit. The fifth activist refused the bond as well. Now the magistrate changed tack. He gave maximum fines to all the rest. While in the watchhouse we learned that more of our team had been arrested. We were spitting! No actions had been planned. It turned out that at 11 a.m., just as we faced the magistrate, police and Skyrail contractors had invaded the site occupied by Manfred Stevens, in an attempt to finally remove him. People had bolted from the court up to the site. Three arrests occurred. It is clear that SAFE had upset some heavy crew. The drug squad, magistrates jailing leaders, Skyrail and thirty police all coordinated on the one day. In the watchhouse Bryan and I were both encouraged by this show of repression. Bryan and I emerged from the watchhouse next afternoon at 5.15 after a series of district court appearances to obtain leave to appeal against the severity of our sentence. Normally I would have done the time, but I had other commitments elsewhere. A bus was leaving for Brisbane at 6.00 p.m. A mad scramble ensued, resulting in me sitting in a packed bus in clothes I'd been wearing for two days, teeth unbrushed for the same period and watching some banal video. It was very surreal. I was sad though, at not being able to properly celebrate with the crew or say meaningful goodbyes. James Langley Footnotes 1. Fraser Island: A Case study in NvDA, by Bryan Law, NvT #32, May June 93. 2. NAB, Nuremburg Action Brisbane, Anti-warships affinity groups 1988. Book available from Justice Products, 192 Boundary St., West End, 4101, Australia 3. Manfred Stevens had been conducting a successful tree sit for 105 days at this time. This action was preventing the clearance of one of the tower sites. He had become a local hero. Welcome to the Skyrail Circus Nonviolent Direct Action by the SAFE Action Group The SAFE Action Group has worked hard to organise this Nonviolent Action. We ask supporters and witnesses to respect that effort, and to allow us to present our message with as much clarity as possible. To achieve this, we need maximum calm and quiet. While we expect some antagonism from staff of Skyrail Pty. Ltd., we need supporters and observers to help us achieve a clear, safe action. To this end, we have created a SAFE space for observers and supporters to be and enjoy the show, and a cold drink. Even if you feel very strongly (especially if you feel very strongly) about Skyrail, we ask that you please: remain calm; walk, don't run; sing, don't shout; treat everyone with respect, even if you disagree with their point of view; respect requests from SAFE group members about this morning's activities. SAFE will withdraw from the action if these dynamics cannot be maintained. Program starts 9.00 am In Centre Ring, the Amazing Wazuli Brothers will perform their stupendous popular Stilt-Walking act, "Crossing the Line" Watch this group of superb dynamic balancers dance through the specially leased air above the Skyrail site. Watch Skyrail security and police try to retrieve the situation. Fun for all the family. Around the Periphery, the fabulous, rare, Paradise Possum will enact ancient marsupial rites, and mark out nature's territory on the site. Watch this rare Lemuroid Possum cavort across the Skyrail blight site, casting out the demons. In No 2 Ring, that Old-Time Chain Gang will perform the sentimental favourite "I'm Attaching Myself to You" And, featuring our very special mystery guest the World Famous Kryptonite Houdini Reverse Escapologist Extraordinnaire Who is Kryptonite? Where is Kryptonite? When will Kryptonite appear? This master of disguises will provide thrills and spills for all ages. SAFE Code of Ethics 1. Participants will be nonviolent at all times. (No shouting, abuse, or antagonism towards any person. We'll make our actions effective and disciplined) 2. No damage to property. (We'll stop work on Skyrail through our determined presence) 3. Commitment to openness and accountability. 4. Commitment to support each other through preparation, action, arrest, trial punishment and victory. 5. Create an aura of love around ourselves, each other and others, and draw on our full and powerful spiritual connections with our Mother Earth. The SAFE Action Group has been formed to take nonviolent direct actions against Skyrail Pty. Ltd. and the Department of Environment & Heritage - to delay, frustrate, and prevent the construction of Skyrail. Skyrail constitutes a desecration of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and our system of National Parks and protected land. The desecration will take place for the sole purpose of private profit and greed. The SAFE Action Group will take its own actions for the soul purpose of expressing our love for, and connection with, the land. We are beautiful, powerful children of our mother earth, and we will ensure her safety and protection.