I think some people would rather see a tree burnt then left in the ground.

When a group of dinosaurs are set on a course it is hard to deflect them.
Tasmania has been bleeding money for decades to support it's "forest industry".
It has been managed by a so called government industry "forestry Tasmania" who, even though they were given the forest for free, could not make any pofit and had to be continually propped up with injections of millions of dollars every year.
There were many reasons for this amongst them a cosy relationship with Gunns who bought the timber from FT an a peppercorn price and then chipped it for export at a good profit.
Even though the basic price was low after Gunns had had their cut, the price to the Asian market has increased to the point where it is no longer competitive with other countries.
Now the Libs are hell bent on "opening up" the forest to clear felling to chip for export again. They are also hell bent on trying to find a foolish company to take on the ridiculous concept of the dream child of John Gay, the largest pulp mill in the Southern hemisphere.

It is a doomed concept from the word go.
There will be nearly civil war if they try to continue on with this project. In the unlikely event of them succeeding and it was built, there would be no market for the highly priced product.
It will not bring financial bliss to Tasmania, with the plethora of jobs that are always promised.
The libs are basing all there campaign on this project and labor has joined in with a promise to get the pulp mill up as well.
Neither have a hope in hell of success but that's what election campaigns are all about. Hollow promises.
The "unlocking of the forest" is a part of the smoke and mirrors that is to be used to make the pulp mill a going concern.
The end result would be a return to the "war in the forest" and more destruction of Tasmania's crown jewels.

Indigenous peoples have been selectively harvesting/logging their forest for millenia, and with only positive of beneficial outcomes! The Forests of Tasmania need to be unlocked, all of them, to selective logging, if those logs are destined to become fine furniture or fine veneers and the like.
That can then be sold for the premium price, that ought to reflect the quality of the craftsmanship, etc.
Much more pragmatic and world leading reformers, Kiwis, have had a law for decades, which simply stated for every tree logged, two more of the same species must be planted in its place.
Forests need to be managed, not locked away, to become huge wildfires, that respect neither endangered species, or geriatric trees.
Trees should be logged, to make room for younger more vigorous growth.
Trees store carbon where vertical or horizontal, and younger more vigorous growth, absorbs more atmospheric carbon than aged trees!
And yes, that doesn't occur until the trees have grown to teenagers!
Tasmania has the highest unemployment numbers in Oz, and the very worst illiteracy rates.
Now those things can be fixed over time, but not by repeating the mistakes that created them!
Doing what you've always done gets you what you've always got; and listening to the entirely irrational greens; or worse, giving them power to virtually govern, has resulted in disaster.
The greens destroyed Labor, and in Germany, where they governed in their own right for a term, they created a virtual depression.
The mad hatters tea party, I believe, would look rational beside them?
As for all those tourists the greens promised, would replace logging and mining, where the bloody hell are they?
Yes, forest policy will affect the election outcome.
Finally, Taswegians will open their eyes, and see just what green policies have wrought, and boot all of them out?
I mean, one doesn't ever need to be green to be a true conservationist, in fact, anything but!
Rhrosty.

Clear felling and then selling woodchip at a loss is the only reason forestry Tasmania, made a loss, and then needed significant injections of taxpayers' funds, to keep their operations going, and was pretty much down to Labor and their blind leading the blind policies.
Arguably, replacing the madness of clear felling with very selective logging, would more than halve the number of trees taken and double the number of jobs, in what should be FINALLY managed, as an endlessly sustainable industry!
And the waste from this industry, (offcuts, sawdust, prunings,) could along with plantation timber, support a pulp mill.
Tasmania, also has quite large and untapped water resources, which could be damned, for more hydropower, very cheap carbon free energy, and myriad, wealth creating irrigation projects, with high intensity, high labor farming! I mean, even a two metre high weir, will create very low cost electricity!
Tasmania, just doesn't need austerity, which would simply compound current problems; but it does need the right policies, and selective investment.
Like the completion of the fibre to the home rollout, and a very fast, roll on roll off ferry service, which at an average of forty knots, could bring fresh produce to melbourne markets, in a much more timely manner and day trippers to Tasmania. Both of which would increase cash flow outcomes and tax receipts. One always needs to spend a sprat to catch a mackerel
There are two kinds of debt, bad debt and good debt, and that which is used to finance positive cash flow projects, is invariably good debt, particularly, where that cash flow, exponentially improves with time!

*The Forests of Tasmania need to be unlocked, all of them, to selective logging, if those logs are destined to become fine furniture or fine veneers and the like.*

This is taken from the Greens forest policy document:
High Value Native Forest Industries: shift to higher value-adding from lower volumes of timber through the creation of new Specialty Timber Zones outside the reserves, and cessation of industrial wood chipping; provide for other users, including leatherwood honey production;

Which answers you about unlocking the forest.
Most Tasmanians including green types are happy with selective logging for high value adding but are apposed to clear felling for chips.
If the neolibs are successful and open up ALL of the forest, which is their ultimate aim, it will be back to clear felling and chipping.
There have been cases of mature high quality trees that are unsuitable for chipping, being burned to clear them away and make way for rubbish plantation trees.

* Tasmania has the highest unemployment numbers in Oz, and the very worst illiteracy rates.*.
The number of unemployed was rising even as the rate of clear felling rose due to the mechanisation of the clearing process. Going back to clear felling will not decrease unemployment.
It should not be forgotten that most of the forestry workers were self employed and were stood down at the drop of a hat if Gunns got into financial difficulties. Not the way for secure employment.

* Clear felling and then selling woodchip at a loss is the only reason forestry Tasmania, made a loss, and then needed significant injections of taxpayers' funds, to keep their operations going, and was pretty much down to Labor and their blind leading the blind policies.*

FT were a and still are a lose cannon. They would not be told what to do by the government of the day but only by big business, where most of the ex FT bosses are now employed. They would not reduce clear felling for chips and increase selective logging and had only themselves to blame for the current state of the industry.

* And the waste from this industry, (off cuts, sawdust, prunings,) could along with plantation timber, support a pulp mill.*

Not so, there was not enough timber to support the pulp mill from plantation only.

* Tasmania, also has quite large and untapped water resources, which could be damned, for more hydropower, very cheap carbon free energy,*

There are times when there is not enough water in the dams to produce enough power and it has to be imported at great cost via the Bass link cable.

* a very fast, roll on roll off ferry service, which at an average of forty knots*

This is not going to be a sustainable operation with Australia importing 91% of it's oil now and 100% by 2010. This will also affect the export of chips.

Na old hound, we don't want to burn the tree, they are too useful.

No, what we want to do, is burn the damn fool hugging the thing.

Botanical issues aside the main point is that it took a long time to achieve the forest peace deal. Having contributed nothing to the process now 'born to rule' types say it's worthless. They won't be getting my vote.

There has been discord in relation to Tasmanian forests for years; forestry and some environmental groups were able to negotiate over a considerable time to create a peace acceptable to both groups. It would not take much for the forest wars to flair up again. Forestry and environmental interests have pleaded to maintain the status qua with Hodgman.
To destroy the current accord would amount to economic vandalism. Hodgman is talking about reducing positions in the Public Service, and the with the impact of a forest war, it would mean Tasmania remains in a difficult economic condition.
The Liberals might take a hairy chested view to tackling environmentalists after the election which would create markets to be lost.