as posted here
Thornlie "tree man" Richard Pennicuik has met with his lawyer and decided to remain up his tree as he considers whether he will end his three-month protest.
His lawyer John Hammond met with him at 12.10pm. The meeting concluded at 12.17pm, with Mr Penniciuk saying he would think about whether to end his protest.
Mr Penniciuk said he was prepared to go to jail over environmental issues and would not be pressured by anyone.
He wanted gathered media to clear from the scene before discussing his options with his friends.
Mr Hammond advised hs client to come down after he received a letter sent by the City of Gosnells ordering him to come down or face a $5000 fine.
Mr Pennicuik yesterday vowed to remain in the tree outside his home despite the council threatening to take him to court.
Losing patience with Mr Pennicuik's 93-day protest, the city's lawyers have sent him a letter saying the council intended to cut down the Hume Road tree. It warned Mr Pennicuik he would be prosecuted for causing an obstruction if he had not come down by the time the lopper arrived. There was no date for the tree lopping.
Mr Pennicuik, 57, could be fined $5000 and $500 for every subsequent day he stays up the tree if the court agrees with the council.
Mr Pennicuik has been living in the eucalyptus melliodora since December 7.
Gosnells mayor Olwen Searle said yesterday that subsequent requests from Mr Pennicuik through his lawyer John Hammond to save neighbouring trees annulled the council's three-month moratorium, due to expire later this month, to take no action.
"The city has waited three months for the protester to respond to its invitation for independently mediated talks at a neutral venue," she said.
"The only formal response has been made through a lawyer which has added to the conditions for the protest to end including the building of a permanent barrier around the tree."
Ms Searle said the tree was dangerous and claimed there had been 20 "catastrophic failures" of that species of similar age in the past five years.
Mr Pennicuik was forced to comply with another council order and remove a makeshift tree house in January. He said yesterday he had no intention of reacting to what he described as "just a letter".
"I just think it's despicable," he said.
Mr Hammond said the council's approach was "extremely heavy-handed" as his client was prepared to talk to them about a "peaceful solution".
Last month, the Heritage Council rejected an application to have the tree heritage-listed.
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Hoon driver fined, licence suspended
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A 26-year-old man has been fined $1500 for test driving a Mini Cooper S at 170 km/h on Roe Highway.
Steven James Atkinson failed to appear in the Perth Magistrate's Court today on a charge of reckless driving and was convicted and sentenced in his absence.
The speed limit for that part of the highway is 100 km/h.
The court was told he had been driving 170 km/h on the highway in Beckenham at 3.44pm on January 30, when he was caught speeding by a multanova.
Auto Classic in Burswood was forced to surrender the $45,000 Mini to police under the State's anti-hoon laws.
Dealer principal Darrin Brandon appealed the confiscation but was told that the bid had failed because he did not qualify for the hardship provisions of the law.
Magistrate Joe Randazzo said: "You wouldn't want to be over on that part of the road at 3.44pm on that Saturday".
He noted that it was Atkinson's first offence but said it had been a dangerous crime.
"To drive at that speed in these circumstances is to court disaster," the magistrate said.
He fined Atkinson $1,500 and disqualified his licence for 10 months - the minimum disqualification is 6 months.
Mr Randazzo said the extra period of disqualification was to act as a punishment and to reflect the need to protect the community.
as posted here
A 26-year-old man has been fined $1500 for test driving a Mini Cooper S at 170 km/h on Roe Highway.
Steven James Atkinson failed to appear in the Perth Magistrate's Court today on a charge of reckless driving and was convicted and sentenced in his absence.
The speed limit for that part of the highway is 100 km/h.
The court was told he had been driving 170 km/h on the highway in Beckenham at 3.44pm on January 30, when he was caught speeding by a multanova.
Auto Classic in Burswood was forced to surrender the $45,000 Mini to police under the State's anti-hoon laws.
Dealer principal Darrin Brandon appealed the confiscation but was told that the bid had failed because he did not qualify for the hardship provisions of the law.
Magistrate Joe Randazzo said: "You wouldn't want to be over on that part of the road at 3.44pm on that Saturday".
He noted that it was Atkinson's first offence but said it had been a dangerous crime.
"To drive at that speed in these circumstances is to court disaster," the magistrate said.
He fined Atkinson $1,500 and disqualified his licence for 10 months - the minimum disqualification is 6 months.
Mr Randazzo said the extra period of disqualification was to act as a punishment and to reflect the need to protect the community.
as posted here
Lawyer urges Richard Pennicuik to end tree protest
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THE high-profile lawyer for tree man Richard Pennicuik will advise him to climb down today and end his 93-day protest.
John Hammond confirmed he would meet Mr Pennicuik at noon today and read him a section of the Local Government Act which spells out the City of Gosnells wide-ranging proscution powers.
“It is that very broad spectrum that makes it difficult for him to stay up there, unless he wants to take them (the council) on,” Mr Hammond said.
Mr Pennicuik, 57, has been camped in the canopy of the gum tree on the verge of his Hume Road home in Thornlie since December 7.
Gosnells Council intends to cut it down because it believes falling limbs could become a danger to property and the public.
The city yesterday said it would take Mr Pennicuik to court for obstruction unless he climbed down and allowed contractors to lop the tall Eucalyptus.
He faces a fine of $5,000 and daily penalties of up to $500 a day if he refuses.
Mr Pennicuik told PerthNow he could not say if he would obey or maintain his protest.
“I don’t know what’s going on at the moment,” he said.
“I need time to think about everything.”
Mr Pennicuik was forced by council to remove a tree-house in January.
Subsequent attempts to have a permanent barrier built around the trunk and to have the tree heritage listed have failed.
Mr Hammond said the council has never provided an arborist’s report stating the tree was dangerous.
“It has been a long-running protest but I think Richard has a lot of support from the community,” he said
as posted here
THE high-profile lawyer for tree man Richard Pennicuik will advise him to climb down today and end his 93-day protest.
John Hammond confirmed he would meet Mr Pennicuik at noon today and read him a section of the Local Government Act which spells out the City of Gosnells wide-ranging proscution powers.
“It is that very broad spectrum that makes it difficult for him to stay up there, unless he wants to take them (the council) on,” Mr Hammond said.
Mr Pennicuik, 57, has been camped in the canopy of the gum tree on the verge of his Hume Road home in Thornlie since December 7.
Gosnells Council intends to cut it down because it believes falling limbs could become a danger to property and the public.
The city yesterday said it would take Mr Pennicuik to court for obstruction unless he climbed down and allowed contractors to lop the tall Eucalyptus.
He faces a fine of $5,000 and daily penalties of up to $500 a day if he refuses.
Mr Pennicuik told PerthNow he could not say if he would obey or maintain his protest.
“I don’t know what’s going on at the moment,” he said.
“I need time to think about everything.”
Mr Pennicuik was forced by council to remove a tree-house in January.
Subsequent attempts to have a permanent barrier built around the trunk and to have the tree heritage listed have failed.
Mr Hammond said the council has never provided an arborist’s report stating the tree was dangerous.
“It has been a long-running protest but I think Richard has a lot of support from the community,” he said
as posted here
'Tree man' may come down today
as posted here
Thornlie "tree man" Richard Pennicuik may end his three-month protest today.
His lawyer John Hammond is expected to meet with his client at noon to advise him on a letter sent by the City of Gosnells ordering him to come down.
It is understood the legal advice is likely to end the protest and bring Mr Penniciuk down from the tree.
Mr Pennicuik yesterday vowed to remain in the tree outside his home despite the council threatening to take him to court.
Losing patience with Mr Pennicuik's 93-day protest, the city's lawyers have sent him a letter saying the council intended to cut down the Hume Road tree. It warned Mr Pennicuik he would be prosecuted for causing an obstruction if he had not come down by the time the lopper arrived. There was no date for the tree lopping.
Mr Pennicuik, 57, could be fined $5000 and $500 for every subsequent day he stays up the tree if the court agrees with the council.
He said this morning that he had not made a decision and would wait for Mr Hammond's advice.
Mr Pennicuik has been living in the eucalyptus melliodora since December 7.
Gosnells mayor Olwen Searle said yesterday that subsequent requests from Mr Pennicuik through his lawyer John Hammond to save neighbouring trees annulled the council's three-month moratorium, due to expire later this month, to take no action.
"The city has waited three months for the protester to respond to its invitation for independently mediated talks at a neutral venue," she said.
"The only formal response has been made through a lawyer which has added to the conditions for the protest to end including the building of a permanent barrier around the tree."
Ms Searle said the tree was dangerous and claimed there had been 20 "catastrophic failures" of that species of similar age in the past five years.
Mr Pennicuik was forced to comply with another council order and remove a makeshift tree house in January. He said yesterday he had no intention of reacting to what he described as "just a letter".
"I just think it's despicable," he said.
Mr Hammond said the council's approach was "extremely heavy-handed" as his client was prepared to talk to them about a "peaceful solution".
Last month, the Heritage Council rejected an application to have the tree heritage-listed.
as posted here
Thornlie "tree man" Richard Pennicuik may end his three-month protest today.
His lawyer John Hammond is expected to meet with his client at noon to advise him on a letter sent by the City of Gosnells ordering him to come down.
It is understood the legal advice is likely to end the protest and bring Mr Penniciuk down from the tree.
Mr Pennicuik yesterday vowed to remain in the tree outside his home despite the council threatening to take him to court.
Losing patience with Mr Pennicuik's 93-day protest, the city's lawyers have sent him a letter saying the council intended to cut down the Hume Road tree. It warned Mr Pennicuik he would be prosecuted for causing an obstruction if he had not come down by the time the lopper arrived. There was no date for the tree lopping.
Mr Pennicuik, 57, could be fined $5000 and $500 for every subsequent day he stays up the tree if the court agrees with the council.
He said this morning that he had not made a decision and would wait for Mr Hammond's advice.
Mr Pennicuik has been living in the eucalyptus melliodora since December 7.
Gosnells mayor Olwen Searle said yesterday that subsequent requests from Mr Pennicuik through his lawyer John Hammond to save neighbouring trees annulled the council's three-month moratorium, due to expire later this month, to take no action.
"The city has waited three months for the protester to respond to its invitation for independently mediated talks at a neutral venue," she said.
"The only formal response has been made through a lawyer which has added to the conditions for the protest to end including the building of a permanent barrier around the tree."
Ms Searle said the tree was dangerous and claimed there had been 20 "catastrophic failures" of that species of similar age in the past five years.
Mr Pennicuik was forced to comply with another council order and remove a makeshift tree house in January. He said yesterday he had no intention of reacting to what he described as "just a letter".
"I just think it's despicable," he said.
Mr Hammond said the council's approach was "extremely heavy-handed" as his client was prepared to talk to them about a "peaceful solution".
Last month, the Heritage Council rejected an application to have the tree heritage-listed.
as posted here
Innocent victims of the Tree Man's crusade
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"Paula" deserves better than to live across the road from Richard Pennicuik.
While he's grabbing the limelight for his three-month protest to save a gum tree, she's fighting for her sanity, her privacy and her home.
Pennicuik has been conducting a one-person campaign to prevent the Gosnells Council from cutting down the last of 22 eucalypts that have been found in dangerous condition on Hume Road, Thornlie.
While he's been bleating about persecution, having now been warned by the council he'll cop a $5000 fine plus $500 a day, this old lady tells a tale of threats by his supporters, sleepless nights and vandalism of her property.
"I was told to go back into my house and die," she told me on talkback radio this week.
Who's breaking the law in this dispute?
Last I checked, the tree was owned by the council on council property.
That makes Pennicuik the offender, who has been trespassing since he climbed onto his perch on December 7 last year.
Despite his protestations, there is no evidence that the council is engaged in a hate campaign against trees.
It's a matter a public safety, following several incidents when large branches fell on properties and the roadway.
Council's initial plan to replace the 22 decaying eucalypts with 35 jacarandas has even been superseded, with an offer to choose replacement varieties.
It's time that common sense returned to Hume Road.
Richard Pennicuik and his tree hugging mates need to be brought down from their cloud cuckoo land.
as posted here
"Paula" deserves better than to live across the road from Richard Pennicuik.
While he's grabbing the limelight for his three-month protest to save a gum tree, she's fighting for her sanity, her privacy and her home.
Pennicuik has been conducting a one-person campaign to prevent the Gosnells Council from cutting down the last of 22 eucalypts that have been found in dangerous condition on Hume Road, Thornlie.
While he's been bleating about persecution, having now been warned by the council he'll cop a $5000 fine plus $500 a day, this old lady tells a tale of threats by his supporters, sleepless nights and vandalism of her property.
"I was told to go back into my house and die," she told me on talkback radio this week.
Who's breaking the law in this dispute?
Last I checked, the tree was owned by the council on council property.
That makes Pennicuik the offender, who has been trespassing since he climbed onto his perch on December 7 last year.
Despite his protestations, there is no evidence that the council is engaged in a hate campaign against trees.
It's a matter a public safety, following several incidents when large branches fell on properties and the roadway.
Council's initial plan to replace the 22 decaying eucalypts with 35 jacarandas has even been superseded, with an offer to choose replacement varieties.
It's time that common sense returned to Hume Road.
Richard Pennicuik and his tree hugging mates need to be brought down from their cloud cuckoo land.
as posted here
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