The Bob Brown Foundation has instructed its lawyers to prepare a special leave application to the High Court in the “Great Forest Case”. It follows last week’s Federal Court decision which 3-0 against the Bob Brown Foundation’s argument that the state’s Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) contradicted federal laws and was therefore invalid, and that Tasmania’s RFA did not protect endangered species, particularly the swift parrot. Source: Timberbiz
The foundation’s Jenny Weber said its lawyers had been instructed to prepare a special leave application to the High Court.
“The forest industry called for a wake yesterday after the Federal Court decision and instead the Bob Brown Foundation held a celebratory launch of the next stage of its campaign including its move towards a High Court appeal,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Jenny Weber said.
“Our Foundation’s campaign to protect Australia’s native forests has gathered momentum since launching The Great Forest Case, and we are going to keep building in this Federal Election year. For the forest wildlife including the critically endangered Swift Parrot, endangered species like the Koala, Masked Owl, and Wedge-tailed Eagle, for the critical carbon storehouses and the vast forest heritage that Australia has, our Foundation is dedicated to seeing the end to native forest destruction,” Ms Weber said.
The Tasmanian Forest Products Association welcomed last week’s judgment as a win for the industry nationally, which had feared a Brown win could ultimately unravel RFAs across the country.
The federal government also hailed the outcome as a vindication of the RFA system, under which forestry operations avoid having to seek approval under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
