DEAR News Of The Area,

YOUR story (NOTA 24/1/25) on the “Knitting Nanna arrest” quotes Ms Degan as saying that “the law is rigid and unbending, but justice is a continuing struggle for what is right”.

This is an example of the woolly-headed thinking that seems to underpin all of the “forest wars” debate.

If we abandon the rule of law, who then determines what is “right”?

In effect every individual citizen could determine their own version of “right”.

Effectively “justice” can only be measured with some agreed type of standard, which in a parliamentary democracy can only be the statute law.

If the statute law is not “right” then there is a clear process to amend it, (which doesn’t include grandmothers “locking on” to logging machinery).

By consciously breaking the statute law and impinging on the lawful right of logging contractors to go about their business, Ms Degan is seeking to influence the elected government to amend the existing law relating to what may be logged.

So as well as having her say at the ballot box, she also exerts pressure on members of parliament via the media.

Is this fair or equitable?

What happened to “one person, one vote”?

Should we all go out and break the law so as to get the attention of parliament for any issue that arouses our emotions?

Chaos would ensue.

Finally, National Parks are “forests” also.

Why is there no information relating to the populations of koalas that call the National Park forests home?

Regards,
John BALL,
Boambee East.