Division is emerging within the New South Wales Coalition over a Nationals bill to make it easier for landowners to destroy koala habitat, with the environment minister, James Griffin, refusing to publicly support the proposal and a Liberal colleague condemning native forestry logging. The proposed law – introduced to parliament this week by the agriculture minister, Dugald Saunders – would strip councils of their powers to regulate native forestry operations on private land. On Thursday, Labor told Guardian Australia it would not support the changes, citing ecological concerns and a lack of community consultation. Asked during question … if he supported it – Griffin would not answer and instead spruiked the government’s environmental record. Liberal MP, Felicity Wilson, used a private member’s statement on Thursday evening to raise “deep concerns” about the future native forests and wildlife, including koalas. She said the state should “transition the native forestry industry towards sustainable plantations”.