Wilderness Society file Supreme Court appeal into native forest logging

The Wilderness Society claims that Sustainable Timber Tasmania (also known as Forestry Tasmania) has breached the Forestry Practices Act through illegal logging in the Valley of the Giants.

The accusation stemmed from alleged logging through a stream-side reserve that was also outside of the company's harvest boundary.

The Wilderness Society took Sustainable Timber Tasmania to the Launceston Magistrates Court in September 2023, but their case was ultimately dismissed.

Represented by lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia, the non-profit has now filed an appeal with the state's Supreme Court.

They'll challenge the Magistrate's decision that it did not have jurisdictional authority to bring a criminal prosecution against Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

Wilderness Society representatives have since criticised the Forestry Practices Authority for "failing to regulate" by not taking enforcement action over the logging.

"The community expects Tasmania's precious forests to be protected by strong laws, but the regulator is nowhere to be seen," said campaigns manager Alice Hardinge.

"If the Forestry Practices Authority can't or won't do it, the community should have the right to do so."

Sustainable Timber Tasmania and the Forestry Practices Authority were contacted for comment, but both only stated that they were aware of the appeal.

Having been elected in 2022 with a commitment to reform Australia's nature law, the Albanese government is now under pressure to create a timeline for its reforms.

Activists have called on Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to address deforestation concerns.

Environmental Justice Australia lawyer Natalie Hogan said it was "hard to believe" the "unfathomable destruction" of the Styx Valley.

"Our client will argue that the public, including the Wilderness Society Tasmania, has a legal right to hold Forestry Tasmania to account by bringing criminal charges for alleged breaches of Tasmania's logging laws," she said.

"It's outrageous that community groups have to take on these cases, because the regulator is failing to enforce Tasmanian law, while Forestry Tasmania is completely exempt from Federal law.

"Minister Plibersek needs to get on with it and hold the native forest logging industry to account under our national environment laws, like every other sector."