Tasmania police dropped charges against four forest defenders, including former Senator Bob Brown, in the Hobart Magistrate’s Court this morning, but the prosecutor declined defence solicitor Roland Browne’s challenge to tell the court why.

Consequently, Dr Brown has written to Premier Gutwein calling for a halt to all native forest logging operations, including imminent regeneration burns, unless and until it is shown such operations are legal.

“The government cannot proceed with logging of rare wildlife habitat knowing such logging is not valid. This is Premier Gutwein’s call. He must not knowingly let illegal logging practices proceed,” Brown said outside the court today.

The defendants have sought costs against the government.

A copy of the letter to Premier Gutwein is appended.

Hon. Peter Gutwein.

Premier.

Dear Premier Gutwein,

As you are aware, charges against Tasmanians, myself included, who have validly tried to defend Tasmania’s native forests have been dropped. I ask you to let the public, whose forests are thus in contention, know why. In particular, you should confirm that the logging of our forests has no legal validation.

I call upon you to halt logging operations in our native forests, including so-called regeneration burns, which are so detrimental to both wildlife habitat and global warming mitigation, unless and until you explain the dropping of charges.

Yours sincerely,

Bob Brown.