Media Release
11 August 2017
Tamara Smith MP for Ballina, Mehreen Faruqi Greens MLC and Dawn Walker Greens MLC are inviting the public to come and see a screening of the documentary Cultivating Murder at the Ballina Fair Cinemas on Monday 14 August at 6pm for a 6.30pm start.
The documentary follows the trial of wealthy landowner and farmer Ian Turnbull who was accused of the brutal murder of Glen Turner, a compliance officer with the Office of Environment and Heritage. Glen Turner had stopped to take photos of felled trees as part of his ob investigating illegal land clearing when Turnbull approached and shot him, in front of his colleague Robert Strange.
The documentary follows the murder investigation but also examines issues around the NSW government’s review of land clearance laws and the push by the Shooters and Fishers Party and the Nationals to give landowners greater rights to remove trees and vegetation from land to expand agriculture.
“This film comes at a time when deforestation and vegetation clearance along the banks of the Richmond River is contributing to erosion and poor water quality,” says Tamara Smith.
“I encourage anyone who is concerned with preserving our environment and our native wildlife to come along and see this documentary,” says Ms Smith.
“Cultivating Murder is dedicated to the memory of Glen Turner but it is also a must- see environmental documentary about climate change and land clearing,” says Greens Environment spokesperson Mehreen Faruqi.
Tamara Smith, Mehreen Faruqi and Greens Koala Protection spokesperson Dawn Walker will host a question and answer session after the movie.
The film is directed by Gregory Miller and produced by Georgia Wallace‐Crabbe, whose mother is a Mullumbimby local.
Tickets are available at www.ballina.info/cinema/Cultivating-Murder-1604.php