The Tasmanian Dam Case

The Tasmanian Dam Case is perhaps the most famous and influential environmental law case in Australian history, not just in Tasmania. In 1978, the Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Commission, owned by the Tasmanian state government, proposed to build the Franklin Dam, or the Gordon-below-Franklin Dam, on the Gordon River in southwest Tasmania. The dam would have flooded a large area along the Gordon River, including sections that were made into World Heritage sites during the early 1980s. Amidst controversy, the Tasmanian government passed measures to go ahead with the proposal, but the large public outcry against these acts prompted the Australian national government to take the case to the Australian Supreme Court, ultimately ruling against the construction of the dam. Thankfully to this day, these lands along the Gordon River remain untouched. I found this court case extremely interesting because it reminded me of similar prominent cases here in the US, particularly those involving the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite and Lake Powell along the Colorado River. This case also offers an interesting look into Australian politics and the relationship between the Australian national government and the local Tasmanian one. For more info, check out this link: http://www.envlaw.com.au/tasmanian_dam.html

- Hardie Cate