The bill sought to unlock Tasmanian forest that was previously protected under a logging moratorium.

Resources Minister Guy Barnett said both Forestry Tasmania and the special species timber sector needed the wood that was contained in these forests.

Along with two Labor MLCs, independent MLCs Ruth Forrest, Rosemary Armitage, Mike Gaffney, Rob Valentine and Kerry Finch did not support the legislation, dooming it to failure.

But Mr Barnett placed the blame squarely at Labor’s feet.

“Labor has again used their numbers in the upper house to block our plans for a growing, sustainable forest industry,” Mr Barnett said.

“It is part of a disturbing new pattern where Labor is using its upper house numbers to block our policies simply for the sake of politics.”

Mr Barnett said the government would now seek a mandate at the next state election to continue pursuing the policy.

Opposition resources spokesman David Llewellyn, on the other hand, said the bill would have “restart[ed] conflict” in the forest industry.

“The forestry legislation defeated … in the Legislative Council did not have the support of the vast majority of the forest industry,” he said.

The Wilderness Society campaign manager Vica Bayley said the legislation’s defeat was a “welcome step” but by no means delivered a resolution for conservationists.

“We offer thanks to the Legislative Councillors who saw no logic in this legislation and led the debate against what is widely acknowledged as a divisive and politically motivated piece of legislation,” Mr Bayley said.