Tasmania’s Forest Practices Authority (FPA) has announced it will review how it conducts investigations into suspected land-clearing breaches, following a large protest by farmers in Hobart on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

Hundreds of farmers, many arriving by tractor, gathered at Parliament House to voice their concerns over what they describe as excessive land-clearing fines that are threatening their livelihoods, according to Pulse Tasmania. The protest, organised by the Farmers and Landowners Action Group (FLAG) and supported by TasFarmers, specifically targeted the FPA.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff met with representatives from FLAG and TasFarmers on Thursday afternoon, alongside Primary Industries Minister Gavin Pearce. Following the meeting, Premier Rockliff acknowledged the need for change, stating, “It’s clear there needs to be change and we continue to work with farmers to deliver that change.” He confirmed that consultation on forest practices regulations is currently underway, in addition to an independent review of the FPA itself.

Farmers are calling for a comprehensive review of the regulations, simpler rules, and compensation for what they perceive as lost land-use rights. They have also demanded the resignation of the FPA board.

FLAG organiser Lindsay White highlighted a specific case where a farmer was fined $100,000 for clearing what he described as “a few trees” to install a centre pivot for irrigation in a calving paddock. ABC News (Tasmania) reported on a similar case involving a farming family near Grindstone Bay, which faced a proposed $132,000 penalty for clearing 19 hectares for an irrigation project, ultimately resulting in a $100,000 fine from the Hobart Magistrates Court for unauthorised clearing of threatened native vegetation.

Mr. White also claimed that the FPA has issued approximately $2 million in fines to 50 farmers over the past five years, Pulse Tasmania reported. Tasmanian Country reported in July that in one recent financial year, the FPA issued $657,000 in fines to private landowners, with another period seeing 18 formal fines ranging from $5,000 to $132,000. The publication also noted that more than $2 million in fines have been paid to the FPA in the last five years, excluding court-imposed penalties.

Concerns have also been raised by farmers who claim their driver licences have been revoked due to an inability to pay substantial FPA penalties, according to Tasmanian Country. Farmers argue that the FPA, which they believe has transitioned from an advisory body to an “adversary department” focused on revenue generation due to its self-funded nature, imposes “heavy-handed, confusing, and completely disconnected from the realities of farming” rules.

For more details, readers are encouraged to refer to the original reporting by ABC News (Tasmania) and Pulse Tasmania.