Federal Court reiterates that VicForests’ logging contravenes State laws and endangers threatened species

The Wilderness Society provides the following comments following the handing down of the Federal Court judgement on costs in relation to VicForests’ appeal of the Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum Inc v VicForests case this morning. 

The Wilderness Society welcomes the decision of the court to order state-owned logging agency VicForests to pay Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum’s full costs for the original trial along with 50 percent of the costs of the appeal. 

National Campaigns Director, Amelia Young said, “This important case has been anything but a victory for VicForests and its bid to continue logging habitat critical to the survival of our unique threatened species such as the greater glider and Leadbeater’s possum.

“In fact, the court has today made abundantly clear that VicForests illegally logged these species’ habitat in contravention of Victorian State laws. 

“Further, the Judges found that VicForests had effectively ‘wasted’ the court’s time in challenging findings of fact which were overwhelmingly proven at trial. 

“This case, led by community group Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum, was taken in the interests of all Australians who care about our unique species and who quite rightly expect any responsible business operating in Australia to ensure that their activities do not put wildlife at risk of extinction. 

“VicForests’ logging is not only illegal, but patently unsustainable. Manufacturers, processors, retailers and consumers of timber, paper and packaging products made from wood logged by VicForests must take action to remove themselves from VicForests’ supply chain, if they have not already done so.

“Between the scientific evidence and now the full Federal Court judgment it’s clear that Victorian forest fauna is in severe danger from the state government logging company. What is not yet clear is what anyone is going to do about it. A practical question arises: will the Victorian State Government stand up to its own logging agency to prevent VicForests from further endangering these precious species?”, Ms Young said.

For further information please contact Amelia Young on 0404 074 577