Tasmanian environmentalists are celebrating what they say is a “huge win” for the state’s forests and wildlife after successfully suspending forestry operations south of Hobart.
The Bob Brown Foundation’s application for an injunction to halt the logging of the Swift Parrot habitat was granted in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
“This is a huge win … It is the first of a rolling series of challenges to the destruction of our heritage forests. This is both gratifying and a terrible indictment of the state and federal governments,” Bob Brown said.
“Gratifying in that the court needed to hear the case that the laws of the land prevent logging of the critically-endangered Swift Parrot’s habitat forest, not least its nesting trees, but a terrible indictment of the state and federal governments which, if that case is upheld, are breaking their own laws by allowing the destruction of the birds’ habitat across Tasmania.”
The foundation is raising questions about the legality of logging in the Huon Valley area, alleging that a forestry permit was granted despite evidence of critically endangered swift parrots in the area.
“They are hell-bent on criminalising those of us trying to uphold the laws while making champions of those in logging breaking the laws,” Brown said.
Justice David Porter said the injunction was necessary to protect any remaining swift parrot habitat from potential destruction.
The heavy machinery currently parked in the forest will sit idle until the case is resolved in the Supreme Court at a later date.
“If the court upholds our case, we expect action to be taken against those who will have plundered this native forest illegally,” Brown said.
