Former Greens leader Bob Brown has launched legal action against native forest logging in Tasmania, claiming it is not in accordance with federal law.
The challenge, lodged with the federal court on Thursday night, argues the Tasmanian regional forest agreement does not comply with a federal act.
The Bob Brown Foundation said the agreement doesn't ensure the protection of endangered species and lacks proper enforcement mechanisms.
"The legislation requires ecologically sustainable forest management, and it should be enforceable, it obviously isn't being enforced," Mr Brown said.
'We think these destruction Tasmanian forest operations are illegal, they don't pass the pub test, and we don't think they pass the federal court test either."
The chair of the Tasmanian Forest Products Association (TFPA) Bryan Hayes said Tasmania’s native forestry operates to the highest standard.
"The industry is appalled the BBF has launched this action, which can only be aimed at putting people out of work.”
Action an attack on workers
AFPA CEO Mr Ross Hampton said the Bob Brown Foundation's legal action was an attack on forestry workers.
“BBF’s timing could not be more insensitive and irresponsible, he said.
"Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s sustainably managed timber harvesting operations underpin thousands of Tasmanian jobs and the manufacturing of many essential products which are in high demand during the pandemic.
"Bob Brown should realise that Australians are fed up with his anti-job agenda and propagation of falsehoods about Tasmania’s forest industries.”
Tasmania's regional forestry agreement, which was signed in 1997, is designed to balance the economic, social and environmental demands on native forests.
Mr Brown said he was encouraged by a May federal court ruling which found logging in parts of Victoria was illegal.
The court found Victoria logged 26 areas home to species at risk of extinction which are meant to be protected by both state and federal law - and planned to unlawfully log another 66.
"This is the first time the federal court has granted a final injunction to prevent logging of threatened wildlife habitat and the first time Victoria's logging industry - the largest in Australia - has been held to account," Environmental Justice lawyer Danya Jacobs said in a statement on Friday.
"We hope the Court's orders send a strong message to governments and industry across the country that if they flout the law at the expense of our threatened wildlife, the community will hold them to account in court."
State-owned forestry company Sustainable Timber Tasmania has come under fire in recent months, with environmentalists saying habitat of the critically endangered swift parrot is slated to be logged.
The company's general manager Suzette Weeding told local media on Friday she was aware of the legal action but it was not yet appropriate to comment.
