* 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.