Freedom of Speech preserved: Save Happy Valley Coalition free to publish with own logo
26th July 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
The Save Happy Valley Coalition is about to re-launch the Environment Report on their website with a slightly altered
front page, following the interim court proceedings brought by Solid Energy against Frances Mountier, over the
publication of the 2006 mock Environment Report.
Justice Chisholm ordered the removal of the word "Solid Energy" and the coal miner's logo from the front page of the
Save Happy Valley Coalition's mock Environment Report.
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*"*The whole case has highlighted how anxious this state owned coal miner is to avoid public criticism and debate on
their activities. Solid Energy has dropped the original major causes of action - defamation & injurious falsehood - in favour of simply pursuing me for use of the trademarked logo of Solid Energy at the interim
stage," said the Save Happy Valley Coalition spokesperson Frances Mountier outside the Christchurch High Court today.
"The legal action taken by Solid Energy had changed considerably from when it was first launched. Proceedings against
Powelliphanta Augustus Inc, who Solid Energy were trying to claim were representatives of the Save Happy Valley
Coalition, were dropped prior to the hearing and Solid Energy reached an out-of-court settlement with a third defendant,
Simon Oosterman, who runs www.enzyme.org.nz, which hosts the SHVC website," said Ms Mountier.
"While defending this case has cost thousands of dollars of funds donated by supporters, we have been successful – the
Environment Report can continue to be published in a substantially unaltered form. Originally, Solid Energy wanted to
stop the publication of the report, which is a parody report, mocking Solid Energy's attempts to greeenwash over their
devastating mining practices, which impact on ecosystems, workers, the local community and the climate," said Ms
Mountier.
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The report will be re-launched on www.savehappyvalley.org.nz as soon as the front cover has been altered.
ENDS