The Tasmanian Government has abandoned plans to open up 40,000 hectares of protected forest for logging in a major policy shift that Labor are calling a “humiliating backflip.”
Liberal Member for Braddon Felix Ellis announced today the government would no longer proceed with making forest from the Future Potential Production Forest “wood bank” available for timber harvesting.
“We have made this decision in line with community expectations and further consultation,” Ellis said.
The wood bank comprises 356,000 hectares of land previously set aside for potential future forestry operations.
Ellis said the government would 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 described the decision as a complete reversal of the Liberals’ signature forestry policy.
“After having campaigned against the Tasmanian Forest Agreement for more than a decade, the Tasmanian Liberals have today completed a humiliating backflip on forestry,” Winter said.
“Their plan to open up another 40,000 hectares of forestry was opposed by industry, Labor and conservation movement because it would have reopened the forest wars.”
Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff welcomed the announcement, calling it “extremely welcome news to the regional communities who were under threat of their beautiful forests being slashed and burned.”
“It clearly shows the power of having a minority government, a minority parliament, Greens in the crossbench and a more progressive group of independents there with us too,” Woodruff said.
Tasmania currently has more than 50% of its land mass, or 3.43 million hectares, in formal reserves, according to Ellis, who said the government “remains committed to getting the balance right between creating jobs and protecting the environment.”
