Warburton Environment Inc v VicForests

COURT OR TRIBUNAL

Supreme Court of Victoria

DATE FILED (OR FIRST HEARING DATE)

05/06/2020

LITIGATION TYPE

Project Approval - Adaptation

SUBJECT MATTER

Threatened species

REVIEW TYPE

Judicial review

SUMMARY

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW — Timber harvesting within State forests in Central Highlands region — Central Highlands Regional Forest Agreement — Tree Geebung — Endangered species — Code principles — Protection of long-lived understorey species — Protection of individual trees with a DBHOB of at least 10 cm from disturbance where reasonably practicable — Precautionary principle — Conduct of timber harvesting and regeneration burning — Bushfire Management Manual — Statutory construction — Relief — Injunctions — Standing — Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 (Vic) ss 31, 39; Sustainable Forests (Timber) Act 2004 (Vic) ss 1, 5, 12A, 13-16, 37–38, 41, 43–46; Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic) ss 3(1), 4(a)–(e), 4A(b)–(f); State Owned Enterprises Act 1992 (Vic) ss 14, 17; Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014 (as amended 2022) cls 1.2.2, 1.2.8, 1.2.10, 1.3, 2.2.2, 2.2.2.2, 2.2.2.10; Schedule 1: Management Standards and Procedures for timber harvesting operations in Victoria’s State forests cls 1.2, 4.2.1.1, 4.2.1.3; VicForests v Kinglake Friends of the Forest Inc (2021) 248 LGERA 28

CASE DOCUMENTS

Warburton Environment Inc v VicForests (No 5) [2022] VSC 633