Bob Brown considers appeal, further action after losing court bid to end logging

Bob Brown is considering a possible High Court challenge and alternative legal action after losing a Federal Court case designed to halt native forest logging.

Bob Brown lost his Federal Court case seeking to end native forest logging in Tasmania. Picture: Matthew Newton

Environmental activist and former Greens leader Bob Brown is considering a High Court challenge and alternative legal action after losing a Federal Court case that was designed to halt native forest logging.

A full bench of the Federal Court on Wednesday threw out a case by Dr Brown’s foundation, which argued the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement was invalid because it failed to enforce protections for threatened species.

Forest industry groups hailed the 3-0 judgment as restoring certainty to the nation’s native forest sector, following an earlier successful challenge by conservationists against Victoria’s RFA.

However, Dr Brown told The Australian his legal team was examining the 30-page judgment and further legal action was possible.

“We are looking at grounds for appeal but also alternative legal action,” Dr Brown said, also flagging a ramped-up protest campaign, beginning with a rally in Hobart on Thursday.

“However, that (legal action) is just one quiver to our bow of protecting what remains of Australia’s native forests and wildlife.”

The Tasmanian Forest Products Association welcomed the judgment as a win for the industry nationally, which had feared a Brown win could ultimately unravel RFAs across the country.

The federal government hailed the outcome as a vindication of the RFA system.