AS Parliament returns today for what the government is describing as a "very busy week", Opposition Leader Bryan Green is staying tight- lipped on his party's forestry position.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The government is expected to receive a report in Parliament this morning on misconduct in the state's health department from the Integrity Commission. The investigation by the commission has been under way for several months, after Health Department staff referred claims of nepotism within senior ranks in the department.
Debate on the legislation unwinding the Tasmanian Forests Agreement is set to begin tomorrow.
The government has called on Labor to support the legislation that aims to open up 400,000 hectares of protected forest for logging in six years.
"You'll have to wait until Wednesday to find out what our position is," Mr Green said yesterday.
Mr Green said the Labor members would vote unanimously, and in the "best interest of industry".
"Everyone I've talked to wants to maintain the agreement," Mr Green said.
Treasurer Peter Gutwein said Mr Green was in a "state of denial".
Mr Gutwein said he hoped the legislation would pass the Legislative Council with the "least possible delay".
Greens leader Kim Booth said the government would be "under pressure" on forestry and the finance of the state.
"The Greens will be pursuing in Parliament the smoke and mirrors sham that the Liberals are presenting as their so-called forestry policy, which is a nonsensical mess that the taxpayer will end up paying for through the nose," Mr Booth said.
"We will also be demanding answers about the elusive Treasury analysis of the impacts of the Abbott slash-and- burn budget upon the state's finances, especially our health and education sectors," he said.
Labor will be down to just six members in the lower house this week, with Franklin Labor MHA Lara Giddings away in Germany attending a leadership conference.