The Tasmanian Government’s contentious forestry bill will be scrutinised closely in Parliament’s Upper House, with many of the independent Members of the Legislative Council indicating they are not sold on the legislation.
The State Government’s plan will allow logging in 356,000 hectares of land otherwise protected under a moratorium until 2020.
The legislation has been widely opposed, with even the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania promising to campaign against the move.
The Government used its numbers in the Lower House to pass the bill after a debate that stretched to almost 3:00am on Friday.
Labor and the Greens voted against it.
The Greens attempted to move more than 200 amendments, including one that sought to change the title of the legislation — Forestry (Unlocking Production Forests) Bill 2017 — because they believed it to be overtly political …
