Big Ideas

Bob Brown on the role of defiance in the climate crisis — with Gardening Australia's Hannah Moloney

Feb 3, 2026
Bob Brown, long-time Tasmanian environmental campaigner and former Greens leader, reflects on defiance as a tool in the climate and extinction crises. He recounts tree-hugging legacies, frontline blockades and legal wins. Conversations touch on rising protest penalties, just transitions for forest communities, Indigenous land rights, and sustaining quiet resilience for long fights.
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INSIGHT

World Heritage As Global Obligation

  • World Heritage thinking reframes local natural sites as global responsibilities.
  • Lionel Murphy's Franklin judgment linked national protection to global cultural and environmental duty.
ANECDOTE

Under A Bulldozer At Farmhouse Creek

  • At Farmhouse Creek Bob Brown and others were beaten while police stood by and bulldozers destroyed the camp.
  • Despite injuries, that campaign helped secure World Heritage protection for the logged area.
ADVICE

Choose Your Measure Of Defiance

  • Gauge your personal measure of defiance and act accordingly rather than waiting for others.
  • Use a mix of tactics and choose actions that match your skills and willingness to face consequences.
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