Bega Valley Shire Councillor Keith Hughes has become the first person to successfully defend a charge for his role in the Mumbulla koala forest blockades earlier this year. (See Traditional owners, conservationists protest far south coast logging)
Cr Hughes was found “not guilty” in Bega Local Court last week (21st December 2010) on 2 out of 3 police charges alleging that he blocked log trucks on Mumbulla Creek Road. He was found guilty of a third charge.
The court decision comes more than 6 months after logging of Mumbulla and other coastal koala habitat forests was suspended until after the NSW election next March.
Logging of Mumbulla forest yielded 95% woodchips and most of it was carried out in a gazetted Aboriginal Place, which has led to challenges on the legality of the logging operation.
Local community members and supporters held a 50 day protest against the logging of koala habitat on Mumbulla Mountain. The protest had threatened to escalate when logging spread to neighbouring forests of Murrah and Tanja and additional areas of Mumbulla.
Cr Hughes, who represents The Greens on the Bega Valley Shire Council is also convener of the South East Region Conservation Alliance (SERCA) http://www.serca.org.au/.
A group of 12 forest defenders, including Cr Hughes are due to appear in court in the New Year to defend more than 35 charges arising from the koala forest protests.
A further group of about 10 people have already paid fines in response to Infringement Notices they received for attending the protests.
The public can contribute to the Forest Defenders Legal Fund at: http://www.chipstop.forests.org.au/forest_defenders_fund.htm
27th December 2010
Text of article from website below
http://bega.nsw.greens.org.au/first%20mumbulla%20koala%20court%20decisio...