3 days ago
Liberals walk back plan to open 39,000 hectares of native Tasmanian forest to 'short notice' logging
Tasmania's government has backed out of a controversial plan to open up more native forests for logging, saying the decision is "in line with community expectations".
But political opponents say the policy "backflip" is a move to woo crossbenchers as the Liberals face the realities of a minority government.
In early 2024, the Tasmanian Liberals announced as an election promise it would make 39,000 hectares of forest available for logging at short notice from what they described as a "wood bank" — Future Potential Production Forest (FPPF).
The government argued it would "give certainty" to sawmillers and logging contractors, but at the time the decision was criticised by the industry.
The government has refused to provide the exact location of the forests it wanted to open up, but in March this year, right-to-information [RTI] documents revealed the government's five "preferred" parcels of native forest were in the north-east of the state.
At the time, the Wilderness Society and the Tasmanian Greens claimed these were two parcels west of Ben Lomond, two near Mount Arthur and one in the Mount Barrow area.
In a statement released on Saturday, Liberal Member for Braddon Felix Ellis announced the party would no longer proceed with the plan.
"The government will instead focus on maximising value from existing resources, including private forests, and ensuring growth in the industry through more innovative on-island processing."
Labor leader Dean Winter said, although he welcomed the decision, he was sceptical about the motivation and timing.
"You have got to question the cynicism. This is a Liberal government who is desperate to cling onto power, desperate to get the votes of the crossbench."
The recent state election resulted in a hung parliament, with the Liberals holding 14 seats, Labor 10, Greens 5, independents 5, and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers 1.
The minority Rockliff government is currently negotiating with crossbenchers to secure their support ahead of a promised no-confidence motion by Labor when parliament resumes later this month.
Labor, which is also in negotiations with crossbenchers, was opposed to the government's "wood bank" plan.
A spokesperson for the government said they have been consulting with the industry and community on this matter "for some time".
Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said the announcement was a win for both the Greens and the local communities that had campaigned against the project.
"[With] the Greens in the crossbench and a more progressive group of independents there with us, too, there is no doubt that the vote in Tasmania will be able to put pressure on the major parties to deliver these sorts of policy changes."
Tasmanian Forest Products Association (TFPA) chief Nick Steel said the walk-back reflected the "political reality" of Tasmania's new minority government.
"While this decision may be disappointing for some in Tasmania's forestry sector, the TFPA remains committed to working with both major parties to secure the long-term sustainability of our industry," he said.
"Tasmania's forestry sector is a key component for the success of regional Tasmania and essential to help the state overcome its current budget crisis."
