The Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI) has critised anti‐forestry activists for using dangerous tactics and intimidation to stop workers from doing their jobs, thereby endangering the lives and safety of all those involved. Sources: Timberbiz, The Australian
About 45 cases of allegedly illegal entry and obstruction have occurred in Victoria in the past year. The worst areas in recent months have been in and around Black Saturday country, the mountain ranges near Kinglake and the Yarra Valley located 60km east of Melbourne.
VAFI CEO Lisa Marty said the actions of these activists, which included illegally entering workplaces in the dark, made their claims about being peaceful protestors hard to believe.
“Intimidation has no place in any workplace,” Ms Marty said. “Dawn raids by masked activists would not be considered acceptable in an office, a factory or a construction site.
“Just because these workers operate in a forest should not make it alright.”
Ms Marty said by intentionally entering a high‐risk workplace with heavy machinery, and interfering with people trying to make their living, it appeared these activists were trying to create conflict.
“If this kind of behaviour continues we are concerned someone will be injured in what should be a safe workplace,” she said.
“Everyone has the right to protest, but this can be done without illegally entering another person’s workplace, and without creating conflict.
Logging veteran Malcom Warnock told The Australian that the type of protesting had changed in the past year, with a growing number of naive protesters brazenly walking up to machinery to disrupt work or using intimidation to stop work before it began.
In recent weeks, he feared he could have killed protesters as he was unaware they were in his logging zone, while he was working in a giant machine used to fell trees.
“The industry calls on environmental groups to oppose illegal and unsafe protest activity and engage with forest managers and industry on their concerns,” said Ms Marty.
“We call on the police, Worksafe and the Victorian Government to act with the full force of the law against those acting illegally and endangering people’s safety in any workplace.”
