In 2009, EEG decided to roll out the big guns and sue the state government for breaking its own laws. This set a major precedent, allowing environment groups to sue the government over its plans to commit, or allow their state owned logging entity to commit an environmental crime. So far we have been successful with six legal challenges and with the financial support of the public we intend to continue suing those who illegally vandalise our forests.
Government can lie to the voters and media but they can’t so easily lie to the courts.
Summer legal actions stop VicForests in its (bulldozer) tracks
On three occasions between mid-December 2015 and early February 2016, EEG has been forced to engage lawyers from Environment Justice Australia . We believe VicForests is consistently not taking its legal obligations regarding environmental protection seriously and Minister Neville’s Environment Department is yet to to take action. Keep reading for more details of our most …
Fishy business
In the pure mountain streams of the iconic Kuark forest, just 30 kilometres north-east of Orbost in far East Gippsland, a tiny, critically endangered fish has been found in forest areas subject to logging. Citizen scientists from GECO and the Fauna and Flora Research Collective conducted surveys in the creeks in this part of Kuark …
Legal action forces VicForests to survey
Action taken by Environment East Gippsland and their lawyers, Environmental Justice Australia, has resulted in VicForests today agreeing to halt logging and survey for rare wildlife and plants in a 28 ha stand of East Gippsland’s forests rich in threatened species. “Sadly, since mid-January and while negotiations have been going on, VicForests continued to clearfell …
VicForests forced to survey
Our latest legal action has today forced VicForests to survey Kuark forest for threatened species. With help from our lawyers at Environmental Justice Australia, Environment East Gippsland’s latest legal action has seen VicForests agree to halt logging and survey for rare wildlife and plants in a stand of East Gippsland’s forests rich in threatened species. …
VicForests agree not to log isolated Greater Glider population
State logging company VicForests has agreed not to clearfell 10ha of mature forest in East Gippsland after community surveys identified an isolated population of the rare Greater Glider in forest where logging had started. “This is great news, but was only acted on after we were forced to engage lawyers. Our lawyers, Environmental Justice Australia, …
Stopping the Chopping: forest defence in Victoria
The forests of East Gippsland, Victoria, continue to fall victim to an over-subsidised and under-regulated forestry industry. While some threatened species of flora and fauna should enjoy legal protection, the regulations are too-often ignored in the quest to make a dollar out of an unsustainable plunder. Thankfully, there are people on the ground to defend …
VicForests facing legal action again
The state government owned logging company VicForests, is in the legal crosshairs of environmentalists yet again. Lawyers acting on behalf of Environment East Gippsland have this week formally requested an explanation as to why a rich habitat site suited for rare forest-dependant wildlife was not surveyed before logging commenced last week. “We believe this is …
VicForests stops logging after legal action
MEDIA RELEASE Just one day after lawyers presented a ‘please explain’ letter to the CEO of VicForests, logging has been stopped and machinery will be pulled out of a high habitat value stand of forest where tree felling had commenced, north east of Orbost. “We believe the logging that took place was unlawful but appreciate …
VicForests stops logging 24 hours after EEG legal action!
Just one day after our lawyers presented a ‘please explain’ letter to the CEO of VicForests (see our media release), logging has been stopped and machinery will be pulled out of a high habitat value stand of forest where tree felling had commenced, north east of Orbost. We believe the logging was unlawful – VicForests …