The Victorian Government has introduced a bill to parliament that aims to bring laws in line with Parks Victoria by making it a liability offence for people illegally taking timber from state forests.
If passed it will increase the time to bring charges from two years to three years and people could be fined up to $8000.
Speaking in parliament, State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed said the penalties would come down hard on illegal tree fellers that targeted the state forests, highlighting issues around the Shepparton area.
“I have had a number of constituents come into my office who live on the edge of Reedy Swamp or Gemmill Swamp down by Loch Garry and who hear chainsaws going throughout the night.
“When they go and investigate in the morning they are finding huge trees that have been logged.
“It appears to be some sort of illegal firewood gathering activity where large amounts of firewood are being gathered, put in trucks and brought to Melbourne to sell to the public who need wood for fire. This is highly illegal.”
Ms Sheed said she was concerned for the safety of people risking their lives collecting evidence for the authorities.
“People have taken it upon themselves to go down at other times in daylight to video this sort of behaviour and have provided that sort of evidence to the department, so I think people in my community are very keen to see some successful prosecutions out of this.
“I would say that this piece of legislation certainly increases the penalties for that sort of behaviour, but let us hope it also creates more ability to prove the offences.
“Some of these tools that are effectively being brought in through this legislation may also help with some of the investigations and capturing people, because I think very often there is a good idea of what is going on but is hard to gather together the proof that is needed.”
Ms Sheed said she voted in favour of the bill.
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