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Integrity Commission powerless with Gunns

This has cast serious doubt on the Integrity Commission (IC) that was created in response to the pulp mill by the former premier of Tasmania Mr David Bartlett.

The leaked report stated that in some cases collusion might have constituted misconduct but in others the Commission lacked sufficient powers to be productive.

The IC has no effective powers to compel evidence if that evidence may lead to self-incrimination.

It appears unlikely that the IC will be granted sufficient powers in the near future making it doubtful that the Gunns issue will be addressed properly.

One of the complaints is regarding then premier Mr Paul Lennon secretly colluding with Gunns to have it withdraw the pulp mill from the state’s planning empire, allowing him to justify the fast track of the project.