Sydney forest activist scales roof of Harvey Norman complex

Media Release 6/8/2011 Today activists from The Sydney Forest Defense Crew have staged a protest at the Harvey Norman Complex in Alexandria. The company is being targeted for selling furniture and flooring made from native forest timbers. 27-year-old Matthew Rider has scaled the building's atrium to suspend a banner that labels Australia's biggest furniture retailer 'Forest Destroyers'. The activists have also suspended a stereo system playing sounds of chainsaws and falling trees.

“Research by the NGO Markets for Change implicates the Australian furniture retail sector in the widespread destruction of native forests across Australia” said Sydney Forest Defense Crew Spokesperson Viv Hadlow .

“Every day, irreplaceable forests are being decimated by industrial logging operations. The wood is then being shipped to China where it is turned into furniture, and then shipped right back to Australia to be sold in stores like Harvey Norman” Ms Hadlow said.

“We demand that Harvey Norman stops profiting from forest destruction and starts using sustainable alternatives like plantation and recycled timber” said Ms Hadlow.

Harvey Norman is now the focus of a major nationwide campaign. On July 23rd, conservationists shut down the Harvey Norman Store in Nowra. Three days later two climbers scaled trees in front of the Harvey Norman Store in Melbourne’s QV centre and unfurled a giant banner reading ‘No Harvey No: Stop Selling Forest Destruction’.

“Many members of the public feel angry about Harvey Norman’s role in the continued devastation of our unique and precious forest ecosystems. It seems likely that Harvey Norman will see more protests in the near future unless it changes its timber sourcing policies” Ms Hadlow said.