17 Feb 2018

Northland group to take swamp kauri case to Supreme Court

12:29 pm on 17 February 2018

A small Northland conservation group that has fought to limit exports of swamp kauri, is taking its battle to the Supreme Court.

Swamp kauri logs in Ruakaka mill yard.

Swamp kauri logs. Photo: RNZ / Lois Williams

Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal have rejected arguments by the Northland Environmental Protection Society that the government has allowed the valuable timber to be exported in a close-to-raw state.

Most native timber, including kauri, can only legally be exported as a finished product.

The society has argued that items being marketed as 'carved logs' and 'table tops' are in fact, just timber.

Society president Fiona Furrell said they believe both courts got it wrong.

She said the conservation group has until Easter to make submissions on why the Supreme Court should accept the swamp kauri appeal.

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