2023-08-10
The Victorian Greens have called on the Victorian Labor Government to abolish VicForests, following the release of a damning report by the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC).
The report found that VicForests had conducted unlawful surveillance on several members of the public, who were all conducting legitimate opposition to actions of VicForests at the time.
The investigation was conducted after Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell MP, referred the matter to OVIC.
Ms Sandell said VicForests’ previous illegal logging, together with today’s report, made it clear that VicForests could not be trusted to act within the law.
The Government is currently deciding what will happen to VicForests as we transition out of native forest logging, but Ms Sandell said VicForests must have no role whatsoever in the management of Victoria’s native forests after logging ends, and future forest management should be done by an entirely different organisation given the long-standing problems and illegal activity by VicForests.
Quotes attributable to Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell MP:
“VicForests has been breaking the law for years - yet the Labor state Government has done almost nothing to rein them in or sanction them. This new report of even more illegal activity proves that VicForests cannot be trusted to follow the law and must be shut down.
“As Victoria transitions away from logging our native forests, VicForests must play no role in forest management in the future. VicForests must be disbanded.”