The High Court’s recent ruling has dealt a significant blow to the native timber industry. This decision has left the possibility for environmental groups to take legal action against loggers who break the law.
Today’s verdict, which revolves around the protection of habitat crucial for three glider species, has been hailed as a major victory for both native forests and the wider community.
The nation’s highest court upheld a NSW court’s decision allowing private people or entities to bring cases to enforce state forestry laws.
According to the High Court, individuals with private interests impacted by logging activities or those with a vested concern regarding the impact of logging on specific species can now initiate legal proceedings.
The case will now return to the Land and Environment Court later this year.
SEFR is seeking court orders to restrain Forestry Corporation from logging in NSW north and south coast state forests unless proper surveys for greater gliders, yellow-bellied gliders, and squirrel gliders are completed, and appropriate protections around their den trees are put in place.
The High Court judgment is another blow to the native logging industry in Australia.
The industry has been haemorrhaged money in NSW amid environmental court battles and faces large swathes of forest being protected from logging in a proposed Great Koala National Park.
Victoria ended native forest logging in 2024, as did Western Australia, the home of sought-after karri, jarrah and wandoo woods.
The WA government said the closure reflected the changing climate and community attitudes about an “unsustainable” part of the industry.
Tasmania plans, however, to capitalise on mainland jitters, pledging to let loggers into up to 40,000 hectares of native forest previously set aside as a “wood bank”.
