An Activist Life is the story of an ordinary woman – a high-school English teacher from northwest Tasmania – who became a fiery environmental warrior, pitted against some of the most powerful business and political forces in the country.
In it, I tell my story through the objects that have symbolic meaning in both my personal and political life, from the butter pats in my kitchen that represent my journey from farm girl at Wesley Vale to environmental and human rights activist at the national and global level, to the Pride t-shirt I wore walking in Mardi Gras next to my son, after years of fighting for the legal reform of gay rights in Tasmania.
I describe how politics actually works: the deals, the promises kept and broken, the horse-trading and treachery involved in some of the most controversial and difficult issues of our time, including the attempts to forge a workable and effective climate change policy for Australia, and our treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.
The book's cover photo, taken by Chris Crerar when I became leader of the Australian Greens in 2012, showcases country that is very dear to me, and echoes the photo taken by journalist Bruce Montgomery at the peak of the Wesley Vale campaign in 1989, when my activist life took a turn into politics.
I was also delighted Tasmanian artist Julie Payne agreed to illustrate my book with beautiful drawings of my chosen objects. Some of the drawings are featured among the photos below.
AN ACTIVIST LIFE BOOK LAUNCH
An Activist Life in Pictures
Carlo Fuccaci, Italian prisoner of war in front of my grandfather Charles Tyler's car on Tyler farm at Sheffield, Tasmania.
Carlo's daughter Iones and her husband Sergio visit the farm at Sheffield with the Tyler sisters, Josephine, June and Betty, Josephine's husband Maurice and I in 2003.
Carlo's grandson, Cristian, outside the same shed in which Carlo lived on Sheffield farm.
Jar of Lake Pedder sand and Pedder penny given to Christine Milne by Margaret Wilkinson.
Chatting with Bill McKibben at Parliament House, Canberra. Bob Brown and Christine Milne both had Lake Pedder poster in their Leader's office.
Wesley Vale Area School Grade V, 1963. Christine Milne nee Morris next to teacher Maureen O'Dea.
Return to Wesley Vale to thank Grade IV teacher Betty Parsons, Gilbert Walker, Heather Loane, Philip McKenzie, Christine Morris and Dimity Gilham, 1971
Milne visits Tasmania's Lake Gordon at record low as debate to drain Lake Pedder begins again.
Out in our rubber duckies during the Franklin Blockade. Christine, Emile, Donna and Steven.
School children at Devonport High School draw their impressions of Christine's role in the campaign to save the Franklin River. 1983
In the early 1980s school children in NW Tasmania drew their impressions of Christine's role in the campaign to save the Franklin River. Note the Greenie Guns.
Fair day Sydney, 2014 with Antony Baker and my son Tom campaigning for Marriage Equality.
Celebrating the passge of gay law reform through the Tasmanian Upper House, 1997, with Miranda Morris-Nunn, Nick Toonen, RIchard Hales and Rodney Croome. Photo: courtesy Roger Lovell
Celebrating Rodney Croome's Australia Day Honour in 2015 in Canberra. Bev Croome, (Mother) Sharon (sister) Christine, Rodney, and partner, Rafael.
Sydney Mardi Gras, Greens style 2014. Joined by Senators Janet Rice and Lee Rhiannon, and NSW MPs Jenny Long and Mehreen Faruqi.
My brief case with CROPS sticker on side, a key component of the Wesley Vale campaign. Julie Payne Illustration.
Christine talks to Env Minister Senator Graham Richardson and Senator Michael Tate during the Cradle Mt huts campaign, 1987.
Bruce Montgomery's iconic Wesley Vale photo. He was journalist and photographer at The Australian newspaper.
Australian first based on French farmers: Farmers' tractor rally from Wesley Vale to Devonport High School rally, 1988. Speakers Milne, Bb Brown, Peter Cundall and Peter Conroy.
Jon Paice's photo of Milne speaking at anti Wesley vale rally at Civic Square in Launceston in 1988..
Mercury newspaper photo of visit to Parliament House in 1988 by CROPS farmers to raise awareness of impact of North Broken Hill's proposed pulp mill on farmland Alan Wilson, Patsy Hoare, Christine Milne, Leanne Hall.
Laurie and Boyd Hoare, Christine and James Milne photographed at Wesley Vale during the Wesley Vale campaign, 1988.
The Independents election campaign photo, 1989.
Lance Armstrong, Christine Milne, Gerry Bates, Di Hollister and Bob Brown.
Tom and June Morris, my parents on election night at the Argosy Motel, East Devonport, 1989.
Spending precious time with the family after the election, 1989.
Neville, Thomas, James and ChristineMilne.
Five MHAs elected in 1989 meeting at Bob Brown's place at Liffey. Brown, Hollister, Bates, Milne and Armstrong.
A reunion of the CROPS campaigners who saved our district from North Broken Hill and Noranda of Canada's native forest based, elemental chlorine bleaching pulp mill .
Artist Gerald Makin's sculpture 'Conspiracy' which Bob Brown bought for Christine Milne at fundraiser for The Independents in 1989.
Judy Henderson's 1993 Senate campaign bus outside Christine Milne's house in Ulverstone. Stuart Lennox, and Melva Truchanas with Judy Henderson.
Wonderful photograph following Wielangta court case win. So may prominent advocates together.
First and only photo of myself with Liberal Tony Rundle when part of the Liberal-minority government in 1996. This photo was later photoshopped by Labor during election campaign to remove the wind turbine to remove context.
Tasmanian House of Assembly following 1989 state election. So few women as MPs or in Advisors box or in Press Gallery.
Christine's sons James and Thomas with Bob Brown at the opening of the Douglas-Apsley National Park, Tasmania 1990.
2014 panel at National Farmers Federation annual meeting. Only other woman, Bridget McKenzie of National party.
Senate Inquiry into tax avoidance, 2014-15. I was only female Senator and witnesses and audience male dominated.
The signature of the Knitting Nannas Against Coal Seam Gas (KNAGS) is a yellow and black knitted beret. I was given one in Lismore and another at a protest at Parliament House.
Standing proudly and wearing the KNAGs berets with Larissa Waters at a Lock the Gate and Knitting Nannas protest at parliament House.
Talking to WW2 veteran Bill Ryan about his opposition to Whitehaven coal mines at Leard forest blockade.
Joining Larissa Waters in talking to farmers opposed to coal and coal seam gas at Felton, Queensland in 2012.
Joining Janet Rice and KNAGs opposing logging in Toolangi, Victoria. So much support for a Great Forest National Park.
Bottles of water collected from under the Ross Sea ice in Antarctica and given to me by Cory Peterson. Illustration: Julie Payne.
The fridge magnet designed by Jill Redwood that I produced showing up John Howard, the fossil fool.
Building a dyke with Greens Brazilian representatives at protest at UNFCCC Climate COP 6 The Hague 2000
COP 17, Durban, 2011 with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition including now Vic Greens MP Ellen Sandell.
Doing radio interview during Climate March in Lima, COP 20 with Canadian Greens Leader Elizabeth May, Canada.
Joining the crowds assembled in lieu of climate march which was cancelled because of terror attacks pre COP 21, Paris.
Launching the white Lemuroid Possum brooches at Tropical Biodiversity Conference in Cairns with James Cook University's VC Sandra Harding and scientist Bill Laurence and Bruna Harrison, Harlequin Jewellers Sydney.
Sliver of nautilus shell and a Pacific Is pearl in perspex. Gift from Government of New Caledonia following World Heritage Listing of the Reefs in 2008. Illustration: Julie Payne.
At the World Heritage rally in the Florentine forest opposing Tony Abbott's proposed excision of 74,000 hectares of Tasmanian forest in 2014.
In front of campaign materials when standing for election to the Global Council of IUCN, Jordan 2000. John Tanzer was Aust Govt candidate.
Visiting the Oceania regional office, Fiji in 2016 with former Fiji Environment Minister who helped to facilitate the establishment of Oceania Regional Office there .
Attending the World Heritage Committee meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand with Alec Marr and Geoff Law to try to secure a UNESCO Mission to inspect Tasmania's forests.
In the Tasmania's Styx Valley with Amory Lovins and Rick Heede from the Rocky Mountains Institute.
Joining climate groups encircling Parliament House in 2009 opposing the Rudd Government's CPRS and its 5% greenhouse gas emissions target.
Michael Agzarin's protest art against children in detention. Shown in Wagga Wagga Gallery.
'This is Not a White Van' painting by Chandraguptha Thenuwara highlighting white van disappearances in Sri Lanka.
Brenda the Civil Disobedience Penguin, character created by cartoonist First Dog on the Moon. Illustration: Julie Payne.
With my family on election night, 2010. From left: Thomas, Mum, (June Morris), James, Self, Gary Corr, nieces Nicola and Anne Maree Jeffries.
As Australian Greens Deputy Leader, signing, with Wayne Swan, Labor Deputy Leader, the Labor Green Agreement in 2010 which set out the conditions which delivered Government to the Gillard minority Government.
Australian Greens leader, 2014. Back Larissa Waters Qld, Janet Rice Vic, Penny Wright SA, Scott Ludlam WA,Lee Rhiannon NSW, Richard Di Natale Vic, Sarah Hansen Young SA, Peter Whish Wilson Tas.
Front: Adam Bandt, Vic Deputy Leader, Self Leader, Rachel Siewert WA Whip.
At Bunnerong Wildlife Rescue Sanctuary in Tasmania with Greens Senators Larissa Waters and Peter Whish-Wilson, 2013.
Joining Sea Shepherd at the James Price Point campaign with my fellow senators Rachel Siewert and Bob Brown, as well as Sea Shepherd's Jeff Hansen.
The day I resigned as leader of the Australian Greens, 2015 in my office at Parliament House, Canberra with partner Gary Corr and sons Thomas and James.
Catching up with fellow Greens,including our only British peer, Baroness Jenny Jones at COP21 in Paris, 2015.
Attending launch of the Global Solar Council in 2015 with Rachel Kyte, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All.
Strategising with Rick Heede of the Climate Accountability Institute of which I am an Advisory Board member.
Jay Yulumara and Christine Milne at her home and campaign headquarters in Binalong Bay, Tasmania.
The gardener of the D'Entrecasteaux 1792-93 expedition, Felix De La Haye Journal, Paris.
Specimen's collection from the D'Entrecasteaux expedition, 1792-93 held at the Natural History Museum in Paris.
Visiting the King's Garden at Versailles, 2015 to seek access to the genetic seed stock that Felix De la Haye used in 18th century expeditions.
Self and others protesting to save the Burrup from industrial pollution, Parliament House, Canberra.
Visiting Murujuga/Burrup to inspect industrial impacts on Aboriginal petroglyphs in 2016.
Appointed Patron of the Solar Council together with John Hewson and Simon Corbell in 2015.
COP 21, Paris Ambassador for the 100% Renewables campaign of the World Future Council based in Hamburg Germany.
Butter pats belonging to June Morris with which she made butter on the Morris family dairy farm at Wesley Vale, Tasmania.