‘Forest wars’ fear, as Greens latest to dump Tasmanian forest peace deal

The Greens have joined environment groups in walking away from the landmark Tasmanian forest peace deal.

Anti-logging protests in forests in the Tasmanian Central Highlands, near Lake Binney. Source: Bob Brown Foundation

The Tasmanian Greens have joined environment groups in dumping support for Tasmania’s forest peace deal, as Labor and the Coalition warned of a return to the “forest wars”.

As revealed exclusively by The Australian on Monday, peak environmental signatories to the 2012 Tasmanian Forest Agreement have abandoned it, pushing instead to halt all native forest logging.

The TFA was partly negotiated by Vica Bayley, then Wilderness Society chief and now Greens deputy leader, but Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff on Tuesday said the party backed the shift by environment groups.

“Today, the TFA is history and the world has moved on,” Dr Woodruff said. “We’re in a climate and biodiversity crisis, but the Liberals continue to log and burn carbon-rich forests, swift parrot habitat and water catchments.

“In 2024, the only credible position for a future-minded political party is to end native forest logging and ensure that more of Tasmania’s irreplaceable, biodiversity-rich forests are safe in perpetuity.

“We celebrate the TFA and what it achieved, but the Liberals axed it a decade ago and we are not in any way bound by it.”

Signatories The Wilderness Society, Australian Conservation Foundation and Environment Tasmania all told The Australian the TFA was no longer relevant and they were pushing to end all native forestry.

Their shift brings these green groups into line with the harder-line activist Bob Brown Foundation, creating a potential federal election flashpoint and industry fears of jobs losses.

Anti-logging protests in forests in the Tasmanian Central Highlands, near Lake Binney. Picture: Bob Brown Foundation

The TFA – amended but until recently arguably honoured by the state government – allowed logging in agreed production zones in return for major forest reserves.

State Labor warned abandonment of the TFA by green groups threatened a return to large-scale conflict – in forests and via market campaigns.

“We urge environmental non-governmental organisations moving to renege on their commitment to the TFA to act with restraint,” Labor resources spokesman Shane Broad said.

“The TFA has demonstrated that jobs, industry and conservation can coexist. The last thing Tasmania needs is another forest war.”

Dr Broad said Labor remained opposed to the state Liberal government’s plan to open 40,000ha of TFA-protected forests to logging.

“The Liberal government needs to stop treating the industry as a political wedge and instead work with it and with Labor to ensure there is long-term certainty for jobs and the economy,” he said.

While peak industry groups do not support the logging expansion, the Liberal government on Monday vowed to continue with the plan.

“We make no apologies for backing the state’s sustainable and job-rich timber industry,” Resources Minister Eric Abetz said.

“The native forestry industry in Tasmania supports more than 1000 jobs across the state and generates hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity.”

Mr Abetz accused the TFA environmental signatories of a “cynical about-face”, while federal Coalition forestry spokesman Jonno Duniam said it was a “sign of things to come … in the event of a Labor and Greens minority federal government”.

“We do not need a rehash of the damaging forestry wars that impacted the livelihoods of so many Tasmanians that are still feeling the effects of a state Labor and Greens government today,” Senator Duniam said.