Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 4 April 2022
MORE TASMANIAN FOREST PROTEST CHARGES DROPPED
Today, Tasmania Police revealed they will not proceed with charges for two forest defenders arrested in Wentworth Hills forests a month ago. A total of nine forest defenders, including Bob Brown, have now had their charges dropped in the past fortnight without explanation. On 22 March, the police prosecutor indicated that validating legislation was being considered by the government in relation to charges dropped last week.
“In light of these charges being dropped, we have headed into the forests with concerns that Tasmania’s logging legality is under the cloud of a cover-up. Protesters have halted logging this morning in Wentworth Hills and remain on location with police arriving at the protest. Premier Gutwein is choosing to spend police resources on charging protesters when the charges are not standing up to court scrutiny, compounded by the question of whether the logging is illegal,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.
“Over the past twelve months, Tasmania’s Premier Gutwein has been responsible for allowing illegal activities in logging across the vast tracts of native forests while overseeing illegal mining activities in takayna / Tarkine,” Jenny Weber said.
Our Foundation is taking action this week to highlight the many native forests, wildlife habitats and carbon storehouses across lutruwita / Tasmania that are being lost to logging right now. All native forest logging operations across the state, including imminent logging burns, must be stopped,” Bob Brown Foundation Campaigner Erik Hayward said.
WEEK OF TASMANIAN LOGGING SHUTDOWNS COMMENCE
Bob Brown Foundation has today launched forest protests for the week ahead as the legality of logging on public land in Tasmania is questioned.
This morning protesters have halted logging in lutruwita / Tasmania’s wild central highlands, at Wentworth Hills. This comes after seven forest defenders, including Bob Brown, have had their charges dropped in the past fortnight, we have reason to believe that Forestry Tasmania’s logging is illegal.
“Something is awry and we are here to make sure the logging across Tasmania is halted and the public learns the truth,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.
“It is dangerous enough to be continuing logging of carbon sinks in an age of a climate emergency and flattening habitat for endangered species in an age of extinction. Now Premier Gutwein is mulling over the need to get parliament to make legal Forestry Tasmania’s illegal practices. How widespread the invalid logging has been and over what period of time remains to be seen. For the time being the Premier is covering up,” Jenny Weber said.
“In Wentworth Hills this morning we are protesting in the same ancient forest we were in just weeks ago, we now believe these forests are being logged illegally. Until logging is halted statewide and Premier Gutwein shows logging across Tasmania to be legal we are concerned that illegal logging of wildlife rich carbon sinks is underway,” Bob Brown Foundation Campaigner Erik Hayward said.
“Wentworth Hills is where some of planet Earth’s oldest forests are being lost to logging for woodchips. New logging roads have been smashed into forests rich with Tasmanian native wildlife. Wentworth Hills is home to nine threatened fauna species. Numerous nesting sites for the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle have been recorded in and around the Wentworth Hills. It is high-quality habitat for the rare and vulnerable Spotted-tail Quoll and significant habitat for the Endangered Grey Goshawk, Masked Owl and Tasmanian Devil,” Erik Hayward said.
