Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Timber industry

Mr RICH-PHILLIPS (South Eastern Metropolitan) (20:01): (1796) I wish to raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, and it relates to reports of illegal timber cutting in the Central Highlands. This has been identified by forestry workers in the Snobs Creek area. As members of the house know, the forestry community is very committed to operating in a way which is sustainable and indeed to operating in a way which is inside the law, notwithstanding that they are continually the subject of harassment by activists and indeed the subject of neglect by this government in the way it deals with vexatious protests and vexatious legal action.

The particular matter I refer to, as I said, occurred in the region of Snobs Creek in an area identified as both a Leadbeater’s possum special protection zone and a rainforest site of significance. The illegal timber felling was undertaken by anti-forestry activists to create or to build a tree sit. This was recognised by timber workers. There are photographs that demonstrate this illegal timber cutting by activists took place and they built this tree sit in the vicinity of this area of Snobs Creek.

Whether inappropriate timber cutting takes place by accident by forestry workers or whether it is undertaken by activists, it should be followed up. We have seen time and time again the Office of the Conservation Regulator take action and investigate the activities of timber workers where allegations are made that they have cut timber that they should not have. Likewise this matter should be followed up by the Office of the Conservation Regulator. A report was made to the Office of the Conservation Regulator in relation to this illegal timber felling, only for the OCR to say, ‘It’s a matter for the police’. Well, it is not a matter for the police, it is a matter for the OCR, and I ask that the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change ensure that this illegal timber cutting by anti-logging activists is followed up and is prosecuted as any other illegal timber cutting would be.