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Tas Greens want to target Gunns’ buyers

The Tasmanian Greens want the receivers of the collapsed timber company Gunns to make public the six investors interested in the company’s assets. Sources: ABC News, 7 News

The Labor Government is introducing legislation into parliament next week to make assets more attractive before bids close at the end of March.

The bill seeks to allow the permits for the Tamar Valley pulp mill to be on-sold and extends their shelf life from four to 10 years.

Greens Leader Nick McKim said the Tasmanian people deserve to know who the investors are.

“It is absolutely essential that Korda Mentha release the names of these to date faceless anonymous companies they say are bidding for the permits,” he said.

“I mean, what is the workplace safety record of these companies, what is the environmental record of these companies if they have, in fact, operated pulp mills around the world?”

Korda Mentha spokesman Mike Smith said the assets are privately owned and it is a business transaction.

“We’ve entered into a very confidential process and it’s commercial in confidence,” he said.

He said Korda Mentha is happy with the proposed amendment bill.

“If this legislation is passed, it will indeed enhance potential investor confidence in the pulp mill opportunity.”

“We’re not proposing any amendments to the government draft, we think its does the job.”

Resources Minister Bryan Green questioned the Greens’ motives.

“The Greens would want names effectively so they can target those businesses,” he said.