The following is an overview of the last few month of the case....For up to date information on the latest statements please refer to 'Three new proposed statements of claim' which is located above this listing. The next court date is scheduled for 15 December 2006.

Costs for first, second and the third statements of claim have been awarded on a 'party/party' basis, which means Gunns will only be required to cover around 60-70% of the court costs. Currently costs for first and second statements for each defendant are being discussed in taxation hearings, while taxation hearing dates for the third statement have not yet been decided.

Court costs do not take into account the total costs defendants may be out of pocket. 'Court costs' literally refer to the costs of court processes. Court costs do not cover travel, administration, defendant support or any other out of pocket expenses. Nor do court costs take into account the stress and worry the defendants, their families and friends, have lived with since the writs were first issued. And neither do they take into account the time taken over by the case, time which the defendants and their supporters might otherwise be using to focus on stopping the continued destruction of Tasmania's old growth forests.

Since December 2004 when the writ was first issued three statements of claim have been rejected by the Supreme court of Victoria and we are currently awaiting a court date to consider the latest proposed statements. The case cannot start until a statement is judged good enough by the court to go to trial. Two years of worry, and being unable to plan for the future for the defendants.

These are the issues the Gunns20 defendants live with every day. We hope you can support them in some way. Please take the time to look through this website, write a letter to your local and federal politicians asking for law reform, add your details to our supporter list, and make a donation.

To support the defendants by making a donation, please contact the office . Alternatively you can donate via credit card by clicking here.

More details on the August decision at: http://www.gunns20.org/node/72