The legislation would amend the Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Act, adding new offences relating to trespassing on business premises and in or on business vehicles, as well as an offence relating to obstructing public thoroughfares.

It would also provide police with greater powers of arrest.

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Tasmanian Labor frontbencher Alison Standen said there were already "levers ... to enact safety for workplaces" in existing legislation.

"Tasmanian Labor will not be supporting the protest laws that are scheduled to come into the Legislative Council next week," she said. "Let's be clear about this: this is a political stunt on the part of the Liberal government. This legislation has been sitting in the upper house waiting to come on for more than 12 months."

Ms Standen said the government was bringing on the bill now because it wanted to "invite a fight over forest protests" in the lead-up to the upper house elections in May.

"Tasmanian Labor stands ready to work with the government in order to ensure that there's tough action on the behaviour of protesters," Ms Standen said. "But this is not the way to do it."

Bob Brown, former Australian Greens leader and founder of the Bob Brown Foundation, called on the Legislative Council to reject the anti-protest laws.

"The government is determined to be twice-bitten," Dr Brown said, referring to a previous successful High Court challenge against Tasmania's protest laws. "But the cost is in this island's reputation."

Premier Peter Gutwein said the legislation would "ensure that people can go about their lawful occupations without being hindered, without having their business affected".

"Importantly, they'll be able to put food on the table for their families," he said.

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