Judge Awards Costs Over Logger's SLAPP

The Australian forestry company Gunns has suffered another setback in its lawsuit seeking A$6.8 million in damages against 20 environmentalists and environmental groups. In the Victorian Supreme Court, Justice Bernard Bongiono directed the company pay most of the defendants costs incurred to date. In a refiled claim Gunns alleges that campaigning by the Gunns 20 constituted a "conspiracy" to damage its business. Former journalist turned Gunns "brand manager", Sarah Dent, declined to comment "because it's before the courts." One of the defendants, Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown, told ABC Radio's AM program that the third version of the writ included "a claim there that I and others were conspiring against Gunns at a meeting in Cygnet. In fact it was an evening's entertainment with Dolly Putin and the Kazakhstan Kowgirls. It was a cabaret that was on that night. There was absolutely nothing other than a fundraiser occurring."