PM forestry speech provokes Tas backlash

The Tasmanian government and green groups have hit back at the prime minister's plans for forestry. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott's declaration that too many of the country's forests are "locked up" has met a furious response from the Tasmanian state government and environmentalists.

Mr Abbott told a forestry industry gathering at parliament house they were the "ultimate conservationists".

He announced a new advisory council for the industry, which follows a government decision to push for a wind-back of Tasmania's World Heritage area.

The state's Labor government, which faces the polls in 10 days, says the federal government is putting at risk a peace deal between the industry and environmentalists that took three years to negotiate.

"The Liberals are suggesting by repealing World Heritage and high conservation forests that that will somehow save the industry," deputy premier and forestry minister Bryan Green said in a statement.

"That's rubbish because what chance would Tasmanian timber from those areas ever have of being sold anywhere around the world?"

The World Heritage areas were part of the peace deal, with green groups vowing to end protests against Tasmanian timber products in return.

Wilderness Society spokesperson Vica Bayley, whose organisation is a signatory to the agreement, said the federal government should get behind the deal.

"Well-worn greenie-bashing rhetoric will not fix the problems," Mr Bayley said.

"The Tasmanian Forest Agreement is the best example in the country of environment, industry and union groups rolling up their sleeves to address real issues, and we urge the prime minister to support it.

"Axing the new World Heritage area won't benefit anyone. It won't protect jobs - these rely on the Tasmanian Forest Agreement, it will embarrass Australia and will reignite conflict in the forests."

Tasmania's Liberal opposition, riding high in opinion polls, has vowed to rip up the agreement if it wins the March 15 election.

Federal Greens leader Christine Milne said preserving forests would create more jobs than cutting them down.

"Who in the 21st century would say the environment is meant for man and not just the other way around?" Senator Milne said.

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