Sydney businessman Geoff Cousins (pictured left) yesterday told The Australian a representative of Sodra had indicated to him that it was “possible” to meet two of the three key demands of anti-mill campaigners.
These include shifting the mill’s feedstock to 100 per cent plantation sourced from start-up, avoiding the need to use native forests in the first five years, and redesigning the pulp process to be totally chlorine free (TCF).
Gunns’ recent buy-up of plantations has brought it close to the first goal, but TCF status would greatly increase the project cost and potentially require fresh government approvals.
The other significant concession sought by mill opponents — re-siting of the project away from the Tamar Valley food and wine district — would remain a sticking point, even if the first two were overcome.
The Australian also understands prospective European financiers have been spooked by an anti-mill media campaign and are seeking top-level clarification of whether the project enjoys state government support.
The project was fast-tracked by the Lennon government outside the normal planning process, after it was secretly declared to be “critically non-compliant” with the requirements of the Resource Planning and Development Commission.
Premier David Bartlett, who replaced Paul Lennon in May last year, initially declared a “line in the sand” on all government support for the project, which he insisted, would end after November 2008.
However, in recent months Mr Bartlett has again embraced the project, while Treasurer Michael Aird has outraged mill opponents by agreeing to a Gunns request to use a $50,000 European trade trip to convince financiers the government is firmly supportive.
Business Spectator had the story first: Here
