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Newcastle Herald

National

Guilty after confusion around Newcastle harbour blockade plea

Jonathan Carroll the Port of Newcastle

The Rising Tide blockade of the Port of Newcastle in November, 2023. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Another environmental advocate who ignored the end of a protest permit to illegally blockade the Port of Newcastle late last year has pleaded guilty, following some apparent confusion which involved the annulment of a decision to dismiss his charge.

John Seed told Newcastle Local Court on Thursday a mistake was made in early January when a magistrate was told he was pleading guilty in his absence.

Despite the magistrate at the time, Stephen Olischlager, dismissing the charge without conviction, the court heard on Thursday that Mr Seed had successfully applied to have that result annulled in order to plead not guilty.

But by the time he appeared before Magistrate Janine Lacy this week, he had decided to plead guilty. He had the matter adjourned to March 7 in order to gather character references ahead of sentencing.

Mr Seed was one of five protesters whose cases were mentioned at Newcastle courthouse this week.

Another woman pleaded guilty and was fined $300, while three others pleaded not guilty and will face a hearing in August.

They were the last of almost 100 people who made their way through the court over the November protest, facing the fine-only charge of "operate vessel so as to interfere with others' use of waters" - which carries a maximum penalty of $5500.

They were charged after police arrested dozens associated with advocacy group Rising Tide when they refused to leave the water after the 4pm deadline on their permit passed.

They remained on the water in kayaks and other small vessels until police retrieved them. It came at the end of a peaceful weekend-long authorised protest.

Most of the protesters had their matters dealt with in court on two dates in January - with rulings ranging from dismissal of charges to convictions and fines.

On the second occasion, Magistrate John Chicken said the protesters were motivated by "selflessness" and "out of genuine concerns for the climate and the future of the earth".

The group charged included people from a broad range of backgrounds such as teaching, nursing, psychology, environmental engineering, and a former Navy serviceman - and had come to Newcastle for the 30-hour protest from as far as Queensland and Victoria.

Mr Seed told the court on Thursday he had received an OAM for services to the environment.

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