#2:  The Greens and The Wilderness Society.

Both the Greens and The Wilderness Society emerged in Tasmania in the 1970's out of the protest movement against the flooding of Lake Pedder in South West Tasmania for creation of the Gordon/Pedder hydro-electric scheme. Both have evolved in close association, but there are important distinctions between them in what they choose to do, and what they are able to do.

I don't like either, and feel they are both driven by people in key positions who are selfish, narcissistic, misanthropic, malicious and fundamentalist in nature. I find it interesting to look at the behaviour of former Greens leaders both while in office, and how they have conducted themselves since leaving office. The parliamentary Greens have to observe externally imposed codes of conduct for elected members, while internally their rules and means of operating have evolved partly along idealistic lines, and partly to suit the aspirations of those in controlling positions. The Wilderness Society (TWS) has had fewer leaders, and less restrictions on its scope of operation, and is, I believe, far less democratic as an organisation. TWS expanded rapidly under the leadership of Alec Marr, but was very militant. Marr was deposed during a bitter internal dispute spanning 2009-2010, being replaced by Lyndon Scneiders.

A general overview of the Greens can be seen here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Greens  and of TWS here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wilderness_Society_(Australia)

After the No Dams campaign, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Dam_controversy had been decided, a number of people who came together during the process realized that being full-time activists was fun, and when combined with fund-raising activities pouring in to established organisations, it could provide job opportunities that were more lucrative and more enjoyable than real or conventional jobs. The sharpest among them seized those for themselves, and farmed many others as volunteers, and sought ever more contributions and donations, and even requests for their organisations to be beneficiaries of wills. In more recent years both the Greens and TWS have sought and received large donations from high personal wealth individuals, and have used them to pursue their agendas, which have included subverting the policies and programs of democratically elected governments.

Information we cannot obtain is the detail of agreements made between previous Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Greens senators Bob Brown and Christine Milne, but I believe they were made under duress, and with threats to bring down her government. I suppose we will have to wait for the thirty-year rule on cabinet documents, unless someone leaks something...

I know this following cartoon relates to the carbon price issue, but it could easily apply to how the timber industry was dealt with...