A COMMUNITY PROTEST ABOUT THE ONGOING & UNNECESSARY LOCAL TREE & VEGETATION REMOVAL IS OCCURRING THIS MONDAY 17 AUGUST 2009, FROM 6 A.M.

The protest shall be in the form of a 'picket' situated at each entrance to the Kinglake Ranges; i.e. @ Kinglake West, St Andrews & Melba Highway entrance points.
The St Andrews entrance (Kinglake - Heidelberg Road) nearby the roundabout in the Kinglake Township is the designated organising / rendezvous point.

Any concerned residents / interested persons who wish to support this protest are welcome to contact me for more information and details on the mobile number below & / or by reply email.

Everyone, except for local residents, emergency personnel, politicians and media, shall be asked politely to respect our protest by not crossing the picket line to enter the Kinglake Ranges.

The police shall be notified ahead and told where we intend to picket and provided with what further information they need.
Any agreed arrangements with police, for example, relating to the position of where the pickets should be located, and to behaviour, showing of placards, use of loud speakers (particularly if there are private houses nearby) should be adhered to.

Peaceful picketing has long been recognised as a lawful activity & it is hoped a respectful, orderly and safe protest shall create the awareness and support our community's need to have this continuing situation re: unnecessary local tree & vegetation removal STOPPED.

All persons picketing are asked to respect the following guidelines:-
Any person, except for the above-mentioned who approaches the picket line should be spoken to, given a leaflet and the reason for the protest explained to them in a polite and courteous manner.
Those persons who cross the picket line should be asked not to undertake any other duties or responsibilities other than their own.
The picket does not have the power under the law to require people to stop or to compel them to listen or to make them do what the pickets ask them to do.
A person who decides to cross a picket line must be allowed to do so.
It is an offence to use threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or display any insulting leaflets or posters or other material.

BYO PLACARDS, CHAIRS, WARM CLOTHING, PORTABLE RADIOS, H20, THERMOS, FOOD & A FRIEND(s)!

Please feel welcome to contact me with any enquiries.

Kind regards,

Vicki Ruhr
0418 137 316

P.S.  Please find recent, related correspondence / blog articles below FYI