Aboriginal activist tells court of obligation to prevent 'slaughtered' forests

An Aboriginal activist fighting a trespass charge has told a court she has a cultural obligation to "protect lands that are being slaughtered".

Tasmanian-born Yorta Yorta/Dja Dja Wurrung woman Ruth Langford, also known as Tipruthanna, gave evidence in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Wednesday — the final day of a three-day hearing over allegations she trespassed in a logging coupe during a protest last year.

Ms Langford, who is self-representing in court, had initially requested the entire court matter be heard on country at Piyura Kitina/Risdon Cove in Hobart, however, her request was unsuccessful.

In January 2025, Ms Langford was part of a group of activists who attended an anti-logging protest at a logging coupe, known as SH067C, at Snow Hill in Tasmania's northern midlands.

She has been accused of refusing police orders to leave the site, which resulted in her arrest and a charge of trespassing.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Langford argues she was defending country

Ms Langford told the court she had arrived at the logging coupe with others in the early morning of January 21, 2025, "to uphold cultural obligation to protect country" and "to conduct a mourning ceremony".

She said that her cultural upbringing with "radical resistance fighters" involved in the 1980s campaign to stop the Franklin River being dammed, including Michael Mansell and Uncle Jim Everett, enlivened in her a "cultural understanding and respect for country".

Ms Langford also detailed the influence that her mother, Yorta Yorta woman and activist Rosalind Langford, had on helping her form her understanding of her cultural obligation to defend country.

"My mother really thought it was absolutely important that the community stood on the front line to assert our cultural law," she told the court.

Ms Langford said she had a reasonable excuse to remain on the land due to her cultural obligation, and her relationship to land was "not defined by [logging] coupes".

Ms Langford became tearful as she explained to the court the racism that she had endured growing up.

"It was common for people to spit on me,"

she said.

"It was common to have rocks thrown at me and people to say 'get back into the gutter, you dirty black', it was common to have my identity questioned, it was common to have our cars smashed up."

Ms Langford told the court her elders did not separate human rights and land rights.

"It was always in the one conversation, that our connection to land was pivotal to our health and wellbeing as a people," she said.

Body camera footage shows Langford was asked to leave

When asked during cross-examination by prosecutor Deanne Earley if she accepted she was on Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT)-managed land at the time of her arrest, Ms Langford said she did not recognise the authority of STT.

Ms Langford was then shown police body camera footage of her arrest.

Asked if she did not dispute the officer's request for her to leave, Ms Langford said she did not hear him ask her to leave.

Chief Magistrate Catherine Geason interrupted the exchange, saying it was "obvious" in the footage that Ms Langford was asked to leave.

Ms Langford said she did not hear the police officer say that, as she was "singing to country".

Last week, members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Palawa community gave evidence via video-link from Piyura Kitina/Risdon Cove, including Dr Greg Lehman, Shani Everett and Cody Gangell-Smith.

Uncle Jim Everett also gave evidence via video-link from Truwana/Cape Barren Island.

STT forest operations manager David White, who certified the area near Snow Hill for logging, and STT senior officer Christopher Sing also gave evidence earlier in the week.

The matter has been adjourned, and a further hearing will be held on September 24.