VicForests, which aims to harvest 59 new coupes this year, has suffered more than 50 illegal protests at 31 coupes in the past eight months, resulting in 119 production days lost. In West Gippsland, 10 coupes have been hit by protest action, resulting in 87 days’ lost work. Source: Philip Hopkins for Timberbiz
There is an ongoing protest of more than 50 days at Pats Corner coupe near Warburton.
In the North East, protests have affected 20 coupes, costing 30 days’ work, while only one coupe invasion has occurred in East Gippsland, with the loss of two days’ work.
This would normally have been higher, but harvesting has only just begun after the summer’s bushfires.
Gary Blackwood, Victoria’s Shadow Assistant Minister for Forestry, said the figures tell the story of a Government that is prepared to sacrifice the livelihoods and investments of timber workers while doing backroom deals with radical Greens and allowing illegal protests to continue.
“The Labor Government has often labelled itself as the gatekeeper for jobs and workers.
“What an absolute sham,’’ he said.
“Any wonder the harvesting and haulage contractors’ mental health is suffering when they are confronted with no income and massive machinery payments every month and forest workers battle to put food on the table for their families.”
Mr Blackwood said that to make matters even worse, the failure of the State Government to protect them only adds to their stress.
“At the moment there are more than 100 Gippslanders out of work and 80 machines parked up because the Government refuses to release more areas for timber harvesting.’’
It is illegal to enter a working timber coupe. Any non-authorised person found inside a Timber Harvest Safety Zone is committing an offence under the Sustainable Forests (Timber) Act 2004 (The Act) and offenders may be fined and prosecuted.
“Any non-authorised person found inside a Timber Harvest Safety Zone faces possible charges – this is about keeping everyone safe in a dangerous workplace,” said a government spokesperson.
“The disruption of legitimate forest operations is unacceptable and will be actively dealt with by Authorised Officers and when necessary Victoria Police.”
About 60 penalty notices were issued to coupe protesters in the first six months of the year, but it is unclear what punishments were imposed.
The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions deploys authorised officers to respond to forest protests.
According to the Government, the response to forest protests is mostly on the same day they are reported, and often includes close cooperation with Victoria Police, including Search and Rescue where necessary to remove tree sit protestors.
VicForests’ proposed changes to its timber release plan involve 59 new coupes in the Benalla-Mansfield, North-East and Tambo forest Management Areas.
The proposed coupes are all in fire affected areas and have been prioritised as they contain fire-killed Ash forest.
But Mr Blackwood said the Andrews Labor Government was refusing to approve new areas of production forest for harvesting, refusing to take action against illegal protestors and by their inaction facilitating the financial ruin of legitimate, once viable businesses.
The timber release plan comes after the Federal Court found that VicForests had breached the code of timber practice at 26 logging coupes, with its operations at a further 41 coupes also unlikely to comply.
All of the coupes are home to either the Leadbetter’s Possum or the Greater Glider.
Justice Debra Mortimer said in her judgement that VicForests’ forestry operations were likely to have had, or were likely to have, a significant impact on both species.
At least 65 logging coupes are also currently subject to legal challenges by environmentalists in Victoria’s Supreme Court.
