Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been forced to announce an end to native forest logging by the end of the year. The decision came in the 2023鈥24 budget, alongside an extra $200 million to help workers and businesses transition away from the devastating industry.
The government had a plan to halt logging in native forests by 2030, but had to move the deadline forward to January 1 next year. Treasurer Tim Pallas聽blamed this on the successful legal action by Kinglake Friends of the Forest and Environment East Gippsland (EEG).
The activist groups proved in the 聽last November that VicForests, the government-owned logging company, was not doing enough to ensure its operations did not harm native species, specifically the yellow-bellied glider.
In response, its logging of native forests late last year. Its 2022 annual report said that legal proceedings had cost more than $10 million.
EEG said the halt was 鈥渓ong overdue鈥, but warned campaigners not to relax. It said VicForests and other logging companies might still be able to undertake 鈥渟alvage logging鈥 鈥 harvesting wood from areas already devastated by natural disasters, such as fires and storms.
, a coalition of grassroots environmental groups, said on May 31 that activists 鈥渘eed to keep vigilant鈥 as logging can continue over the next six months. The alliance is closely monitoring the government to ensure that it regenerates forests devastated by logging and closes loopholes. Logging contractors could still make 鈥渟mash and grab鈥 logging operations, to chop down as much forest as possible while they still can, it said.
It said it did not know what will happen to the which 鈥渉as locked in forest destruction for so long鈥. It is concerned about 鈥渢he devastating Regional Forest Agreements which give logging a special exemption from federal environment laws鈥.聽
鈥淲e must keep the pressure up to make sure the state government abolishes these dodgy agreements. We know there鈥檚 talk of reforming federal environment laws and there鈥檚 certainly a need for this.
鈥淲e must keep pushing the federal government to get rid of聽all聽the regional forest agreements 鈥 particularly since we know Tasmania and NSW are still logging native forests, with no end in sight.鈥
Despite the end to native logging, new draconian anti-protest laws remain on the books.
罢丑别听Sustainable Forests Timber Amendment 2022聽was initiated by Labor and passed with the support of the Liberals last year. It聽threatens climate protesters聽who target forestry sites with up to a year in prison, or $20,000 in fines.