Actions by conservation groups are posing a risk to the supply of Australian timber, with court action halting some harvesting activities in Victoria, according to Federal Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie.
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She said action by groups, such as Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum Inc, sought to permanently end native timber harvesting — threatening the local industry and its associated jobs.
Senator McKenzie added that harvesting would "continue to cease" until an appeal to the High Court was heard, which could take place later in the year.
She said this subsequently affected timber supply, industry supply chains and local job security despite the fact VicForests successfully appealed the original decision of Justice Mortimer just last month.
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Senator McKenzie said that ruling stated VicForests’ native forest operations were carried out in accordance with requirements set by the Central Highlands Regional Forest Agreement.
She added that Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum Inc had not accepted this decision and continued to wage an "unfair attack" against Victoria’s native forestry industry by appealing the recently handed down judgment.
“Environmental extremists continue to disrupt the native forest industry, effectively shutting down operations while the appeal waits to be heard,” Senator McKenzie said.
“In the meantime, industry is left with its hands tied, unable to supply the nation with timber, which is in short supply.
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“This cannot be allowed to continue time after time.
“Being unable to harvest 44 coupes in the Central Highlands Regional Forest area means that VicForests is at risk of not being able to fill their supply contracts.
“This puts the livelihoods of hard-working people at risk.
“The reality is VicForests adhere to some of the strictest environmental regulations in the world.
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“Timber is a sustainable industry that is under an increasing threat from so-called ‘environmental groups’ who are not willing to examine the facts about its environmental credentials, including forest management.”
Senator McKenzie said as a result of the actions of Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum Inc, and other activist groups, Bunnings was importing some of its timber from overseas rather than supplying Australians with stock harvested from Victoria.
“This shows there is undermined confidence in the logging industry due to the actions ofextremists,” Senator McKenzie said.
“When you have conglomerates like Bunnings making these sorts of decisions on green lawfare, the public are misguided and ultimately, they unknowingly are unaware of the truth of matters such as this.
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“This has huge and unfair impacts on the native forest industry, putting at risk real jobs in real communities.
“Timber workers need job certainty, and industry needs assurance that it has an economically viable, long-term sustainable future.”
Friends of Leadbeater's Possum Inc President Steve Meacher said some of Senator McKenzie's points were misleading.
“(Senator McKenzie) claims that ‘Harvesting will continue to cease until the appeal to the High Court is heard’," Mr Meacher said.
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“In fact harvesting is continuing in many other coupes not affected by the Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum v VicForests court case.
“Our case involves just 41 scheduled, or unlogged, coupes.
“That compares to over 2600 coupes available to VicForests on the current Timber Release Plan, approved in December 2020.
“I can personally attest to the fact that logging has not ceased, given that three loaded log trucks have passed my window this morning from a nearby coupe which, by the way, had a high population of greater gliders and Leadbeater’s possum recorded on its boundary.
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“(Senator) McKenzie then mischaracterises the findings of the Federal Court and the full court (on appeal), claiming ‘VicForests’ native forest operations were in fact carried out in accordance with requirements set by the Central Highlands Regional Forest Agreement'.
“In fact, the court found that VicForests’ operations in the 66 coupes, including logged coupes, had not been, or would not have been, carried out in accordance with Victorian legislation and these findings were upheld on appeal.
“However, on appeal, the full court found that the breaches of Victorian law did not extinguish VicForests’ exemption from federal law and therefore the breaches did not translate to breaches under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
“This was a matter of ‘statutory construction’ and the only ground, out of 31 grounds of appeal, on which VicForests was successful.
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“This is the decision that we are now seeking to appeal to the High Court.
“(Senator) McKenzie claims that VicForests, ‘adheres to some of the strictest environmental regulations in the world'.
“In fact, the Federal Court found they do not adhere to the required standards.
“The wording of the full court’s judgment on costs was ‘FLP was overwhelmingly successful at trial in establishing, as matters of fact, that VicForests contravened state legislative instruments with respect to the endangered greater glider and Leadbeater’s possum species. Those factual findings were not disturbed on appeal'.
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“She then goes on to say that environmental groups are not willing to examine the facts.
“In fact, our court case was probably the most detailed examination of the facts, especially the legal aspects of the operations, that has ever been undertaken.
“I can only assume that she has not bothered to read Justice Mortimer’s 444-page judgment from May 2020.”
Mr Meacher also said the decision by Bunnings to stop retailing VicForests’ products was made after this judgment was released.
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“They could not continue to trade in potentially illegally logged timber,” he said.
“Our case was overwhelmingly successful in showing that VicForests’ operations contravened state legislation and those findings have been confirmed on appeal.”
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