The Tasmanian Government wants a parliamentary inquiry into the destruction of a woodchip mill on the state’s east coast.

Millionaire environmentalists Graeme Wood and Jan Cameron bought the Triabunna mill three years ago.

The pair initially said they hoped to reopen it, but later unveiled plans for a tourism development.

A recent article in The Monthly magazine reported the mill manager, conservationist Alec Marr, as saying reopening was never on the cards.

The article said the plant’s infrastructure was destroyed in an undercover operation to quash any possibility the Labor-Green state government at the time would compulsorily acquire the mill to reopen it.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Guy Barnett, said he would move to establish a parliamentary inquiry.

“What did the Labor-Green government know about this destruction? What did they know, when did they know it and did they sit idly by?

“And if they knew, why did they allow it to happen and did nothing?

“So there are a lot of questions that need to be asked and we need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.”

He said the inquiry would also look at development opportunities for Triabunna.