Elwick MLC Adriana Taylor
A KEY MLC believes forestry legislation can be changed to allay many of the concerns of groups angry at being left out of the original two-and-a-half-year talks between industry and environment groups.
As the first hearings in the Legislative Council committee's investigation into the Tasmanian Forests Bill 2012 start this week, Elwick MLC Adriana Taylor said she had told groups to come armed with suggestions to improve the controversial bill.
``For me this whole process, the committee process, is about seeing what's possible,'' Mrs Taylor said.
``I'm asking for positive input. What they do need to say is; what is not in the bill that we would like to see added and what is there in the bill that we can't live with.''
Environment and industry groups who spent almost three years in difficult negotiations to reach the historic agreement have warned MLCs that significant changes may destroy the carefully balanced compromise.
However, Mrs Taylor said some things, such as access to the new reserves - a concern for the tourism industry - had been overlooked.
``They may not have been considered in the last three years because it wasn't their brief,'' Mrs Taylor said.
``It's possible we might actually be able to come up with amendments that the signatories could agree with and that make the bill acceptable to all the people that haven't had a say.''
The Legislative Council voted to set up the committee and delay voting on the legislation after a lengthy, and at times fiery, debate late last year.
Mrs Taylor is seen as the state government's best hope of persuading people to support the legislation, which guarantees 137,000 cubic metres of wood supply a year and establishes a process to protect 504,000 hectares of forest. Her vote would give supporters the majority.
Over the next three days, the committee will hear from the same people that lobbied MLCs ahead of the debate in Parliament in December.
First up are the parties that spent almost three years negotiating the deal, followed by other interested groups such as the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania and the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
It is expected to deliver a final report before Parliament resumes in March.