No Harvey No! Forest activists unfurl giant banner at QV building, Melbourne

Today, two activists scaled trees outside the QV building in Melbourne’s CBD and unfurled a giant banner, stating ‘No Harvey No! Stop selling forest destruction!’ The climbers have positioned themselves high in the trees in front of a Harvey Norman sign and are intent on staying up the trees as long as possible to take a stand against forest destruction. They are being supported by ten activists on Swanston St, who are distributing information to members of the public.

At 15:30, the climbers were still perched high in the trees outside Melbourne’s QV building. Police and local government officials have requested that the climbers descend from the trees. However, the two forest activists have refused to come down, despite being threatened with fines.

The giant banner stating 'No Harvey No! Stop selling forest destruction' has attracted attention from thousands of passersby in Melbourne’s CBD today.

‘Harvey Norman are profiting from the destruction of Australia’s world class native forests, which are being ripped apart by industrial logging operations every single day‘ said Ula Majewski, spokesperson for The Last Stand.

Harvey Norman has been the focus of numerous campaign activities by different groups across the country. A viral video parodying a Harvey Norman ad, which was released by Markets for Change and GetUp!, has received 100,000+ hits on YouTube. A coalition of activists from across Australia shut down Harvey Norman’s Nowra store on Saturday.

‘Harvey Norman needs to show some real environmental leadership and immediately stop selling native forest products to the people of Australia. Ready alternatives such as plantation and recycled timber already exist’ said Ms Majewski.

This morning activists visited the Harvey Norman store in Preston, where furniture made from Australia's native forests is being sold. This was part of a joint action which also involved the banner drop in Melbourne’s CBD.

Today’s peaceful actions have taken place to broadcast critical concerns with Harvey Norman’s role in the logging of Australia’s native forests, highlighted by evidence recently released by Markets for Change.1

‘Recent chain of custody research has clearly shown that Harvey Norman are playing a key role in the decimation of our spectacular native forests. Our forests are felled, shipped to China to be made into furniture, and shipped back again, ending up in Harvey Norman stores across the country’ said Ms Majewski.

‘The response from the people of Melbourne to today’s No Harvey No action has been overwhelmingly positive. The community clearly wants to see an end to the ongoing destruction of our native forests. Harvey Norman needs to show some real environmental leadership and immediately stop selling forest destruction to the Australian people’ concluded Ms Majewski.

Visit www.thelaststand.org.au or www.noharveyno.net for more information.