Bob Brown Foundation presents 2014 Environment Awards

The Bob Brown Foundation presented its 2014 Environment Awards at a ceremony in Hobart today, with the chair of the foundation, former Greens leader Bob Brown, acknowledging three outstanding contributors to environmental protection.

The Environmentalist of the Year 2014 was awarded posthumously to Joseph Roe, a Goolarabooloo man from Broome, for his lifelong work to protect the environment and cultural sites of the Kimberley. The award and $4000 prize money were presented to Roe’s wife Margaret and daughters Rekeesha and Kerstin.

Joseph Roe and Bob Brown.

Roe fought for many years to try and stop motorbikes and vehicles driving over his country’s sand dunes, and installed bollards to prevent traffic destroying burial sites and the environment. In the early ‘90s he was involved with the Rubibi Native Title Claim for Broome and, in 2013, the community campaign led by Roe and the Goolarabooloo people against the giant gas hub at Walmadan (James Price Point) finally prevailed, with the proponent, Woodside, withdrawing its plans.

“Roe defied the money, arrests, threats and compulsory acquisition of his people’s land for a higher goal: the integrity of Aboriginal culture and the Kimberley’s remarkably pristine environment,” said Brown. “He died within months of gaining victory for his country but his fighting spirit remains to inspire everyone else faced with the destruction of country or neighbourhood.”

The Young Environmentalist of the Year 2014, along with $2000 prize money, was awarded to Peter Hammarstedt, the captain of the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker. As Director of Ship Operations for Sea Shepherd Global and Director on the Board of Sea Shepherd Global and Sea Shepherd Australia, he has used direct action to save lives from illegal whaling, sealing and destructive fishing practices.

Peter Hammarstedt. Photo courtesy of Sea Shepherd.

Hammarstedt has crewed on nine consecutive Antarctic Whale Defence Campaigns. On the 2012-13 campaign, the Bob Barker was rammed on several occasions by the factory whaling ship Nisshin Maru. Sea Shepherd successfully prevented the whaler from refuelling and the campaign succeeded in preventing the slaughter of 932 whales.

“Peter Hammarstedt’s maturity and courage under extreme duress from the Japanese whale-killers belie his age of 30,” said Brown. “The cool determination of this protégé of Sea Shepherd’s Captain Paul Watson in placing his ship Bob Barker between an aggressive Japanese whaling factory ship and a South Korean tanker in Antarctic waters two summers ago is legendary in the annals of global wildlife protection.”

The Deni Greene Award 2014, and $2000 prize money, was awarded to Alan Pears of Brighton, Victoria. The award is presented in honour of the late Deni Greene and recognises an outstanding contribution by an environmentalist in their professional field of work.

Alan Pears.

For more than 35 years, Pears has been a champion of energy efficiency in Australia. He was appointed the head of the Melbourne Energy Information Centre in the 1980s and, when the Victorian Government took over the centre, Pears moved into working for the government on energy-efficiency policy and programs. 

Pears has advised governments and the private sector throughout Australia. He advances energy efficiency through clear communication, provision of practical information and the development of public policy based on solid foundations. His work has covered appliance energy labelling, building regulation and many articles and publications.

“Alan was a great friend and fellow intellectual of Deni Greene’s,” said Brown. “I know that she would be delighted that Alan is the 2014 recipient of the award honouring her own life’s work.”