Thoughts on Rehabilitation: a letter to Elise Archer MP

The Honorable Elise Archer MP

PO Box 258

Sandy Bay 7006

Dear Elise Archer MP, Minister for Justice, Corrections and Rehabilitation

My name is Dr Colette Harmsen, I am a veterinarian, wildlife defender and peaceful forest protester and I am in jail. All of my illegal activities are related to peaceful forest protecting and I conduct these activities because of my ongoing fear about the climate emergency and my love for wildlife, the national environment and wild places.

As Minister for Justice, Corrections and Rehabilitation, I was wondering what kind of rehabilitation you would suggest for me to prevent me reoffending, given my fear of climate change and my passion for the welfare of wildlife and native forests.

I have had some thoughts about rehabilitation - to prevent me from caring so much about the environment:

- Brainwash me to stop me from caring

- Tell me climate change is not real

- Make money, capitalism and greed my main focus

- Make me believe that native forest logging does nothing to destroy endangered species habitat

- Explain to me how farming animals is good for the environment and I should eat more meat

- Make me believe that fishing for seafood is sustainable and does not damage the environment

- Brainwash me into thinking that the only good forest is a "working forest"

- Explain to me how farm, mining and forestry chemicals do not run into waterways and harm and kill fish and other wildlife

- Encourage me to fly in aeroplanes more frequently

- Show me that digging mines in environmentally sensitive areas is a good idea

- Tell me to watch more commercial, sensationalist, brainwashing television

- Teach me to be more apathetic, ignorant and selfish

- Show me how to shift the blame for my responsibilities and actions onto everyone else

- Make me angry at the state of things, but never angry enough to do anything about it

- Show me how I must do what my parents and their parents did, and that I have no choice but to make all the mistakes that generations have made before me

- Give me drugs to make me stop caring about anything other than my own self interests

- Teach me how the environment is the enemy to jobs and growth and must be punished

- Teach me how the legal system is always right

I have also written a rehabilitation poem:

Give me the drugs to make me stop caring

Teach me that wildlife is better off dead

Show me why forests are only worth logging

How the climate emergency is all in my head

How all native forests belong in the chipper

How rainforests must be dug up and mined

Give me the reasons to make me stop caring

You might as bloody well send us all blind

Sincerely,

Dr Colette Harmsen

Doing it for the forests (or should I say, doing it for the cash, selfishness, fame, jobs and growth, and the government)

OTS 116318

Mary Hutchinsons Womens Prison

Risdon Vale

TAS