Tas: Greens call for corruption probe into proposed mill

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2007
Tas: Greens call for corruption probe into proposed mill

By Glenn Cordingley

HOBART, April 3 AAP - Tasmania's Greens want an independent corruption watchdog to
investigate alleged dodgy dealings over a proposed $2 billion pulp mill, amid claims timber
giant Gunns is "running the state".

Tasmania's upper house president, independent MP Don Wing, says a lawyer for Gunns
Ltd was involved in preparing government legislation to fast-track through parliament
the assessment of its controversial mill plan.

Mr Wing said the Gunns lawyer did not say whether he had been directly involved in
drafting the bill.

The legislation introduced by Premier Paul Lennon will bypass the independent Resource
Planning and Development Commission (RPDC) and replace it with a government-appointed
consultant.

The legislation was drafted after Gunns complained the RPDC process was taking too
long and costing it too much money.

But accusations that a Gunns lawyer was involved in preparing the bill have raised
questions about the timber giant's influence over the Labor government.

"Well, our concern is that it's really got to the point where Gunns are running the
state," Tasmania Greens leader Peg Putt said.

"They're in the driving seat and the government's simply acting as the navigator for
Gunns, the go-between, doing their work," she told ABC radio.

Ms Putt said the entire legislative process had been made murky by a lack of transparency.

"We need an ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) style body to look into
the concerns about the government's relationship with Gunns," she told AAP.

"This time the allegations are that Gunns lawyers were actively involved in drawing
up parts of the controversial fast-track assessment legislation, particularly given that
Gunns and the government are stonewalling about whether that actually occurred.

"Clearly, they are not saying it didn't occur. They are protecting themselves and there
is nowhere else to go in Tasmania."

State treasurer Michael Aird said Gunns' involvement in the bill was "absolutely appropriate".

"It was no greater ... than anyone else in terms of a similar piece of legislation," he said.

"They had no greater influence over government ... it's a government bill.

"It was a government legislation, and Gunns have not had any preferential treatment
at all in the development of this bill."

Mr Aird dismissed calls from the Greens to establish an ICAC-style body.

"Look, we have very strong probity processes in this state.

"We have an independent police service. We have an independent auditor-general and
we have an independent Director of Public Prosecutions.

"We are quite capable through the independence of those areas to ensure that everything
is done in a totally proper way."

The legislation is due to return to Tasmania's House of Assembly on April 17, when
it is expected to become law.

The pulp mill proposal will then go to the federal government for assessment and final approval.

Greens Senator for Tasmania, Christine Milne, said Gunns had referred the project to
the federal government, ticking the "no significant environmental impact" box in its report,
which she says makes a farce of the process.

Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull has until May 3 to decide whether the
proposal will have a significant impact on the environment.

"Minister Turnbull must recognise that a project which requires up to 4.5 million tonnes
of forest each year, and which dumps 26 billion litres of effluent into the Bass Strait
every year, has a very significant environmental impact," Senator Milne said.

AAP grc/dk/cjh/sp

KEYWORD: PULP

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