The Forestry Corporation is under pressure to blacklist a logging contractor after its workers attacked two environmentalists in a NSW forest.
It's been three-and-a-half years since Mark Graham and Andre Johnston were assaulted on a public road during a day trip to the Wild Cattle Creek State Forest, where logging was under way.
On Monday, the pair got their day in court with a Coffs Harbour magistrate finding two employees of Greensill Bros had committed common assault.
The environmentalists are now demanding Greensill Bros be banned from any further logging work for the NSW government-owned Forestry Corporation.
They also plan to pursue a corruption complaint against the Forestry Corporation, saying one of its direct employees who was overseeing the logging operation filmed the assault but failed to intervene.
NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson has practised as a public interest environmental lawyer and provided legal advice to both environmentalists in the past.
She says serious questions must be answered about the conduct of the Forestry Corporation and police, alleging it amounts to a wilful miscarriage of justice.
"Mark and Andre were on a public road, in a public forest, when the forestry workers approached, threatened and then assaulted them all while being filmed by an employee of the NSW Forestry Corporation, who did nothing to stop the assaults," she has told AAP.
"Immediately following the assault in 2020 neither of the forestry workers were charged and one of the victims was instead targeted and charged by the Coffs Harbour police."
Ms Higginson said the charges were laid after discussions between the police and Forestry Corporation.
Mr Graham has told AAP he was dismissed by police when he went to report the assault in June 2020 and was instead to go and "get a job".
About six months later he was charged with being within 100 metres of logging machinery.
Ms Higginson represented Mr Graham in that matter and has accused police of trying to withhold video evidence of the assaults from both victims, and from the public.
The charge against Mr Graham, of being too close to logging machinery, was eventually dropped in May 2022.
Mr Graham now plans to lodge a complaint with NSW Independent Commission against Corruption, asking it to delve into the conduct of police and the Forestry Corporation.
In the Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday two men who worked for Greensill Bros in mid-2020 were each found guilty of common assault in relation to the attack on Mr Graham and Mr Johnston.
No convictions were recorded with Michael Luigi Vitali and Rodney James Hearfield both put on 15-month good behaviour bonds.
The Forestry Corporation and Greensill Bros have declined to comment.
AAP has also sought comment from police.
Australian Associated Press
