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Read the story below as published in 'The Advertiser' on Saturday, April 10th, 2010 and then read the truth from Basil Hille, State Director, One Nation (SA Division)
The Supreme Court has criticised Treasurer Kevin Foley's refusal to compensate anti-nuclear protesters who were beaten, blinded by capsicum spray and sealed in a shipping container.
Justice Tim Anderson yesterday said Mr Foley should have authorised a $600,000 payout to the protestors rather than taking the matter to trial at taxpayers' expense.
Ten years after the Beverley uranium mine protest, Justice Anderson awarded the nine protestors and a television cameraman a combined $724,550- in compensation for the incident near Andamooka in May 2000.
In his judgement, Justice Anderson says the decision to put the protestors into a shipping container and weld it shut was "primitive and frightening" and a "fundamental breach of human rights".
Outside court, Lu White - who was awarded $95,110 for her ordeal - said the police behaviour was "illegal, unlawful and violent". "I am absolutely delighted the Supreme Court of South Australia has found for us and against the police," she said.
"People have a right not to be bashed, beaten and falsely imprisoned by police. We have a right to protest".
In September last year, Mr Foley labelled the protestors a "bunch of ferals" who had put the "safety of police officers in peril".
Greens MLC Mark Parnell said Mr Foley's "bloody-mindedness" could end up costing taxpayers a "fortune". "The protestors had offered to settle the case, but the Treasurer refused to negotiate and now taxpayers will be forced to pick up the tab for both sides of the case," he said.
Cameraman Jamie Holland said he was locked in a shipping container by police for three hours. "It was violent and inhumane, it should not happen in Australia," he said.
Justice Anderson reserved his decision on court and legal costs but the overall bill could exceed $1 million.
A spokesperson for Mr Foley yesterday refused to comment until a decision on whether to appeal was made.
A police spokesman said they had no comment other than to say they had received the judgement and would examine it.
Now read 'the truth' from a letter Basil Hille (pictured below) sent to 'The Advertiser' but was not published.
Lobethal
,
10 April, 2010
Letter to the Editor, The Advertiser.
The Advertiser dated 10/04/2010 page 15, "why these ‘ferals’ are $700,000- richer", staggers me.
On or about that day ten years ago (9th May 2000) my wife and myself were delivering a low loader along with a Nisson patrol to the Beverley uranium mine site when we came upon this group of protestors who forced us to stop by throwing objects at us, jumping in front and climbing onto our vehicle as we slowed down.
Where we were subjected to a life threatening and terrifying experience as they then proceeded to smash the windows of the Nissan with iron bars while they held us captive, eventually they released us after one of our employees came over and interceded on our behalf.
It was this incident that later that day caused the police to proceed to round up these protestors.
I agree with the Treasurer Kevin Foley, these protestors are ‘feral’. Why should they get $700,000, we got nothing for our ordeal, and left us traumatised and scared for weeks to come and we were the innocent party.
Basil Hille