In 2012 Australia joined the United States and the European Union in passing laws aimed at tackling illegal logging. The Illegal Logging Prohibition Act will be expanded at the end of November, when companies will have to prove ‘‘due diligence’’ was undertaken in ensuring imported wood products came from legitimate sources.

But a Department of Agriculture position paper, released earlier this month, states: ‘‘The department will not seek to ‘catch out’ those who are trying to do the right thing.''

A government spokesman confirmed the emphasis will instead be on education, training and awareness.

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon said it was clear the new laws were already under a cloud.

She said that while the laws were a step in the right direction, it would barely stem the tide of illegal timber imports.

‘‘There are too many loopholes in the law that render it pretty toothless,’’ she said.

Companies can only be fined after the initial 18-month transition period if they ‘‘intentionally, knowingly or recklessly’’ import products from illegal logging.

‘‘When you’re allowing companies to get off the hook by saying; ‘Well, we didn’t know about it’, that gives them a way out,’’ she said.

Industry fought hard against the new laws during several years of debate. Liberal MP Paul Fletcher once described the laws as “disturbingly draconian” and “badly thought through’’ for creating such uncertainty in business.

Senator Richard Colbeck, parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, was overseas on Sunday and not available for comment. In March, he announced $2 million to help combat illegal logging in Indonesia.

“Better timber control systems in our neighbouring countries also gives Australian businesses confidence that the source of timber purchased internationally is legitimate,’’ he said.