Thursday, 27 August 2026

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:42): (2556) My question is for the Minister for Environment. A tree with a circumference of 7.32 metres with multiple hollows was found by forest protection group Wildlife of the Central Highlands, or WOTCH, logged by Forest Fire Management Victoria in the Murrindindi Scenic Reserve. Hollows only begin to form after a tree has lived for an entire century. WOTCH suspects the tree was likely used by the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum, as one was documented just 80 metres away. When it was in operation, VicForests was held accountable through the binding Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014, which required surveys for threatened species before logging began. These rules do not apply to FFMV, and they have refused to answer questions about whether a fauna survey was conducted in the area or when the tree was felled. Perhaps the minister can advise whether or not this survey was conducted before a felling operation in my electorate.