VicForests loots public property
VicForests has yet again been exposed – this time carrying out theft on a massive scale! VicForests could be illegally logging vast areas of public forests that it never had permission from government to clearfell. This seems to be happening right across our forests, including in the habitat of endangered wildlife!
FOE’s forest campaigner Ed Hill, mapped the allocation of forests for logging, over what is actually logged. So far 42 stands of forest have been identified that have been or plan to be clearfelled. VicForests claims that its operations are all above the law (of course) and they rely on a fuzzy low resolution map that is conveniently impossible to see the boundaries.
The relevant ministers are also denying any wrong doing (of course).
Government ministers and VicForests refused to be interviewed by the ABC which broke this story on 21st Nov 2018. Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, Premier Daniel Andrews and the minister in charge of VicForests, Jaala Pulford MUST act on this serious crime of grand theft and vandalism. At the current time they are claiming no law has been broken.
Stealing offences can be dealt with as serious offences with a judge and jury. Where the value of the theft is over $100,000, they are heard in the higher courts. The value of the trees VicForests would have dragged out of these public forests would be far in excess of this amount. It’s overdue that VicForests be charged and convicted with ongoing illegal logging in Victoria’s state forests.