During the 1960's the Tasmanian Hydro Electric Commission (HEC) developed plans to create a hydro-electric generating system in Tasmania that was expected to attract large energy-intensive manufacturing companies to establish themselves in Tasmania.
As early as 1962 the South West Committee was formed in response to the HEC plans for S W Tasmania.
In 1967 the Save Lake Pedder National Park Committee was formed, but was unable to prevent the flooding of Lake Pedder in the face of HEC and Tasmanian government resolve, and the federal government's indifference to environmental matters.
In 1973 the newly elected Whitlam government's Ministerial inquiry into Lake Pedder, though coming too late, recommended a moratorium on the flooding, but the Tasmanian Labor government refused to co-operate.
Lake Pedder stands as a symbol of Australia's struggle between environmentalists and large development projects.
In 1975 the Tasmanian Labor government proposed an expanded park scheme (The South West Management Plan) to develop and protect the South West. Under the State Grants (Nature Conservation) Act ( 1974 ) of the Federal parliament, Tasmania received financial assistance in 1976 for a survey (the first of its kind) of South West Tasmanian resources.
The Tasmanian Wilderness Society was formed in 1976 in response to the HEC schemes proposed for the S W Tasmania region. It later played a major role in the Franklin dispute.
Also in 1976 the Tasmanian government established the Cartland Committee (an advisory committee on S W Tasmania) which reported in 1978 with a proposal on the management of the S W Tasmania area.
In March 1979 the Tasmanian government adopted the basic concepts of the report but rejected it's advice that a statutory body manage the area. Instead the South West Tasmanian Committee was established (comprising interests from the HEC, the Forestry Commission and Conservationists) to advise Cabinet.
In October 1979 the HEC, which wielded powerful political influence at the time, unveiled plans for a 3 stage billion dollar integrated hydro scheme on the Lower Gordon, Franklin and King rivers. The new Premier, Mr.Doug Lowe (who replaced Mr Reece in 1977) remained neutral, preferring to consider alternatives.
Finally in April 1980 Cabinet opted for a smaller hydro scheme above the Olga river, rejecting a Legislative Council Select Committee's report that supported the HEC scheme.
In December 1980 a deadlock was reached in the Tasmanian parliament. The Legislative Council preferred the 3 Stage HEC scheme to dam the Franklin and Lower Gordon Rivers.
The deadlock remained through 1981.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Conservation advised in August 1980 that any proposals likely to have impact on South West Tasmania were of national concern, warranting a federal inquiry to fully examine the alternatives.
The Committee also recommended that advice should be sought as to whether the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974 could be invoked so that an examination of the national implications could be made.
The federal government in November 1981, at the request of Mr Lowe and the Tasmanian Labor government, officially nominated S W Tasmania for world heritage listing.
Meanwhile, unable to resolve the deadlock over the hydro schemes, Mr Doug Lowe was defeated in Caucus and resigned as premier in November 1981.
Under the Tasmanian Labor government's new leadership the state referendum in December only offered voters a choice of the Olga River scheme or the Franklin scheme a "yes; yes" referendum for dams.
No choice was given for a "No Dams" option.
The Tasmanian Wilderness Society encouraged voters to write"No Dams" on the referendum paper in protest.
The results were of significance:
In May 1982 the newly elected Liberal party in Tasmania under Mr Robin Gray immediately passed the Gordon River Power Hydro Electric Development Bill and preparatory work began on the Gordon-below-Franklin dam in July.
In October the federal parliament received the Rose Report, which stated that the federal government had the power to stop the construction of the dam under it's obligation to the provisions of the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), to which Australia was a signatory in 1974.
On 23 November 1982 a Senate Select Committee urged a three-year delay on the construction of the Franklin dam so that a full investigation into Tasmania's power needs could be made.
The federal Labor Party in November announced that the government and the opposition were obliged, because of the nomination for the world heritage listing, to prevent the construction of the dam.
Significantly, the Cabinet of the Fraser government announced in December that it would not prevent the Franklin dam being built despite having the power to do so. This polarisation of views further solidified the Tasmanian Wilderness Society's resolve to fight the construction of the dam and was also proved significant in the election of the Hawke Labor government in March 1983.
On 14 December 1982 the South West Tasmania area was added to the World Heritage list. Despite this, construction of the dam continued at full speed.
The Tasmanian Wilderness Society, having galvanised environmentalists world wide to 'save the Franklin', began a blockade on the construction of the dam, aided by hundreds of environmentally concerned citizens.
Also on 14 December the Labor and Democrat senators joined forces in the Senate and passed the private members' World Heritage Properties Protection Bill.
In March 1983 the newly elected Labor government in Canberra made the World Heritage (Western Tasmania Wilderness) regulations under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975 for the purpose of immediately preventing further construction of the dam.
These regulations were subsequently deemed illegal by the High Court, but allowed the Hawke government breathing space to create legislation to stop the Franklin dam.
New legislation was introduced into the House of Representatives as the World Heritage Properties Conservation Bill, which became law on 22 May 1983, and effectively stopped construction of the dam under the federal government's (and Australia's) obligation to UNESCO.
The Tasmanian Liberal government immediately challenged the Act in the High Court and lost.
The Franklin River project was abandoned and the promise of compensation to Tasmania, made in the 1983/84 budget speech, was a subject for debate in Federal Parliament until November 1983. Tasmania was granted a number of financial packages.
In 1983 $m27 and in 1984 $m62.9, with provision for further ongoing assistance.