Australian Election Tracker by OZE

Victoria 2026 · Policy comparison

Environment & Forestry

Shared Fed/State

Land use, forests, native vegetation, pollution regulation and environmental approvals in Victoria.

4 of 4 comparison columns contain a sourced position.

View in full matrix Who controls this policy? Methodology

How to read this comparison. The short cards show each party's recorded approach. The detailed section reproduces the sourced claims underneath. There are no scores, rankings or inferred positions. Policy cells show only positions with an individually sourced public record (manifesto, press release, Hansard, or Parliamentary Budget Office costing). An empty cell means no sourced position is in the ledger yet — not that a party has no view, and not an editorial judgement of importance.

Direct comparison

At a glance

Labor

End native timber harvesting, restore habitat and expand forest recreation

View detailed claims

Liberal–Nationals

Shared platform with party differences

Liberal: Agricultural impact tests, landholder protections and a bushfire inquiry · Nationals: Agricultural impact tests, landholder protections and restoration of native forestry

View detailed claims

Sources and detail

Party positions

Greens

Back to comparison

Close logging loopholes and restore native forests

  • Pledge

    Prohibit Victorian mills from processing native-forest timber sourced anywhere in Australia and ban commercial native-forest logging on private land.

    Australian Greens Victoria · published 22 June 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Pledge

    Prevent logging companies from using bushfire and storm-recovery processes as a route to commercial native-forest logging.

    Australian Greens Victoria · published 22 June 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026

3 more claims
  • Pledge

    Repeal provisions that could allow a future government to restart commercial native-forest logging on public land.

    Australian Greens Victoria · published 22 June 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Position

    Substantially increase investment in forest protection, ecological restoration and regional employment, and manage regrowth toward mature forest for biodiversity, carbon storage and water yield.

    Australian Greens Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Position

    Base prescribed burning on independent science and protection of people and assets rather than fixed hectare targets.

    Australian Greens Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026

Labor

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End native timber harvesting, restore habitat and expand forest recreation

  • Position

    Maintain the end of commercial native timber harvesting in Victoria's state forests, which took effect on 1 January 2024, while plantation forestry and limited regulated forest-produce licensing continue.

    Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Costed measure

    Invest in access, recreation and management across 1.8 million hectares of former timber-harvesting state forests, including tracks, trails, amenities, community-designed Healthy Forest Plans and additional rangers.

    • $30 million taxpayer funded
    • Uncosted pledge

    Premier of Victoria · published 20 Oct 2025 · verified 1 Aug 2026

2 more claims
  • Costed measure

    Continue the BushBank nature-restoration program, which is planting millions of native trees and plants and is intended to restore more than 20,000 hectares of land across Victoria.

    • $77 million program taxpayer funded
    • Uncosted pledge

    Victorian Government · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Position

    Retain the Biodiversity 2037 framework, including habitat restoration, threatened-species conservation, pest and weed control, and a long-term goal of net gains in habitat extent and condition.

    Victorian Government · verified 1 Aug 2026

Liberal–Nationals

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Shared platform + differences

Shared landholder and transmission commitments with additional Nationals native-forestry policy.

Liberal

Agricultural impact tests, landholder protections and a bushfire inquiry

1 more claim

Nationals

Agricultural impact tests, landholder protections and restoration of native forestry

2 more claims
  • Pledge

    Reverse the closure of Victoria’s native timber industry and support a regulated, accredited native-forestry sector.

    The Nationals Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Position

    Use the Auditor-General’s findings to argue for greater accountability for native-timber transition spending and direct assistance to affected workers and communities.

    The Nationals Victoria · published 9 Apr 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026

One Nation

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Practical conservation, fire mitigation and support for forestry

  • Pledge

    One Nation Victoria proposes more firebreaks and planned burning, greater investment in early warning systems, floodplain management and bushfire prevention, and research into disaster-resistant infrastructure.

    One Nation Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Position

    The party supports targeted conservation, habitat restoration, responsible land and water management, improved access to national parks, and marine conservation research.

    One Nation Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026

2 more claims
  • Pledge

    One Nation Victoria would require environmental rehabilitation bonds for energy projects so restoration costs are not left to taxpayers.

    One Nation Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026

  • Position

    One Nation supports expanding plantation forestry for timber self-sufficiency and maintaining regulated native forestry while protecting old-growth forests and environmentally sensitive habitat.

    Pauline Hanson's One Nation · verified 1 Aug 2026

Who controls environment & forestry?

Shared Fed/State

Day-to-day environmental regulation and public-land management are largely state responsibilities. The Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act can apply to matters of national environmental significance.

Victoria
State environment-protection laws, public-land and forest management, and many planning-linked environmental controls.
Commonwealth
Matters of national environmental significance, international treaty obligations, and some national programs.
Climate & Biodiversity Emissions-reduction targets, climate adaptation, threatened species and biodiversity programs affecting Victoria. Infrastructure & Transport Roads, public transport, major projects and freight networks within Victoria. Firearms Policy Firearm licensing, ownership rules, categories, storage, enforcement, trafficking and lawful sporting, hunting and farming use in Victoria.