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Tasmania v British Empire

It was a David and Goliath story. The movement to end transportation of convicts to Tasmania was up against the might of the British Empire, supremely indifferent to the wishes of a group of colonists at the far end of the world.

Governor Denison used whatever means he could find to keep the extent of anti-transportation sentiment from his British masters, and to keep a lid on events locally he resorted to fake news and character assassination of the movement’s charismatic leader, John West. Denison was also the instigator of mob violence designed to intimidate the anti-transportationists.

Despite the massive power imbalance, the battle to end transporation was finally won. And in the process, it set the scene for something even bigger – the coming together of the Australian colonies in a joint effort to stand tall in the world. If you think that’s overstating the case, take a look at the flag for the Australasian League Tasmania, sewn by the ladies of Launceston in 1851.And as more recent events, such as the battles to save the Franklin River, to protect native forests from woodchipping, and to decriminalise homosexuality, have shown, bureacracy is not impervious to pressure from those who stand up for their beliefs.