Thursday, 10 February 2022

VicForests

Mr RICH-PHILLIPS (South Eastern Metropolitan) (10:19): The Andrews Labor government has long sought to demonise and destroy the native timber industry in Victoria and by extension the regional workers and families it supports. The government has stood by while vexatious and frivolous litigation has been launched against VicForests, frustrating and undermining the livelihoods of timber workers and costing taxpayers millions of dollars. However, not only is the government failing to protect the interests of Victorian timber workers and taxpayers but now the government is actively intervening against those interests.

VicForests’ annual report shows that it and by extension Victorian taxpayers are owed more than $2 million in costs and interest from MyEnvironment, as ordered by the Supreme Court from failed anti-logging litigation. Now the government has stepped in to direct or coerce VicForests not to collect that $2 million, which is owed to taxpayers and which VicForests under the State Owned Enterprises Act 1992 has an obligation to collect. Yesterday Mr Somyurek highlighted that government corruption is far more insidious than just brown paper bags for political favours. Governments and ministers have a sworn duty to ensure agencies act within the law and in the interests of Victorians. Coercing VicForests to ignore its legal obligation to act commercially because the government would rather see it fail than succeed is tantamount to misconduct in public office, an odious form of corruption which has become all too common in this government.