'Rampant hyprocrisy': Tucker claims new policy will destroy jobs

The party announced it would unlock 40,000 hectares of previously protected native trees to boost the sector.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the additional timber would be made available exclusively to existing Tasmanian customers of Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

But independent MP John Tucker slammed the government for continuing to ignore a threat from across Bass Strait, where Victoria had ended native forest harvesting.

The policy to create a wood bank for Tasmania's forestry industry drew the ire of Mr Tucker, who claims it would actually wipe out the state's hardwood processing mills.

"The premier's rampant hyprocrisy threatens hundreds of jobs in sawmills across the state, and unless the government changes direction, it will gut regional communities from Smithton to Southport," he said.

"The latest Liberal attack on regional Tasmania is the result of government plans to sell of future hardwood plantation logs to the highest bidder, regardless of the consequences for local mills."

If re-elected, the Liberals will boost annual supply of sawlog to Tasmanian suppliers by up to 10 per cent.

Mr Tucker said the policy would render Tasmanian mills incapable of competing with Victorian companies following a $1 billion payout from the state's Labor government in compensation for shutting down the state's native forest industry.

"The problem with an open auction for future plantation logs is that it is not a level playing field," he said.

"If that timber is tendered and it goes to a Victorian company, that's lost forever."

Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson said it was a shame to hear Mr Tucker's comments.

"The Liberal plan is to in fact grow native forestry as a vital sector in our economy," he said.

"It's sustainable, it's renewable and it's a product that the world wants."

Labor's resources spokesman Shane Broad said it was clear that the sector hadn't been consulted prior to the policy announcement.

"The Liberal government has had 10 years to come to the table and work with the community and peak industry bodies, and they have failed to do so," he said.

"Instead, they launched a half-baked policy and completely blindsided the forestry industry."

Mr Tucker said the Tasmanian Forest Products Association proposed that a set level of high-quality plantation saw logs should be guaranteed to existing contractors, while putting the rest on the open market through competitive tender.

"Additionally, both sides of the parliament need to expand their plans to rewrite Hyrdo's ministerial charter to include other GBEs, including Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT), to make sure they act in the best interests of Tasmanian jobs," he said.

"Both the Liberal and Labor parties have a simple choice at this election.

"They can either back the local mills and local workers or continue to sit on the fence while STT ships the plantation logs and processing jobs to Victoria."