Conflict is back in Tasmania's forests, and two decisions in Victoria could make it worse

Conflict is back in Tasmania's forests, and two decisions in Victoria could make it worse - TARKINE RUNNING

 

It had been quiet in Tasmania's forests, until recently.

With a long history of forest conflict, a peace deal struck between environmentalists and loggers in 2012 cooled things off in the state.

And despite the Liberal government putting a symbolic end to the peace deal in 2014, there had been some semblance of peace.

But now, it seems, the conflict is back on, with tree-sits in the Tarkine, locking onto machinery at Ta Ann's Smithton mill, glueing themselves to the offices of the state-owned forestry agency Sustainable Timber Tasmania resulting in about 25 activists arrested in the past six months.

Now, two decisions in Victoria are being closely watched for whether they'll spell more conflict for the island state.

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