Counsel for mining company MMG ended today’s federal court hearing on MMG’s proposed toxic waste dump in Tasmania’s takayna / Tarkine rainforest by flagging a possible application to the court for a ‘carve-out’ allowing MMG’s works to proceed while judgement is being considered.

“This, in simple terms, means MMG will be asking to potentially damage or destroy any of the large trees, currently protected by the court, which get in the way of its machinery. The large trees are potential habitat, including nesting places, for the Tasmanian Masked Owl which is vulnerable to extinction,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Jenny Weber said today.

On 1 July, the Federal Court’s Justice Moshinsky directed MMG not to use machinery within 15 metres of trees in the rainforest which are one metre or more in diameter. Since then, MMG began driving through these ‘exclusion zones’ but ceased after legal letters were exchanged between the foundation and MMG.

“We will vigorously oppose any application by MMG to roll back the judge’s decision,” Jenny Weber said.

We now await the judgement by Justice Moshinsky.