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Kelty seeks allies for forest deal
Matthew Denholm, Tasmania correspondent From: The Australian February 19, 2011 12:00AM Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Print Email Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Facebook Add to Kwoff Add to Myspace Add to Newsvine What are these? FORMER union leader Bill Kelty has turned to a deposed greenie and an ex-Harvard professor to help deliver a lasting peace deal in Tasmania's forests.

The Weekend Australian can reveal that Mr Kelty, appointed by the Gillard government as independent facilitator to assist negotiations between conservationists and loggers, has enlisted the advice of veteran environmentalist Alec Marr. As well, the former ACTU secretary has sounded out former Harvard professor Jonathan West about drawing up plans for new industries and jobs in timber towns hit by restructuring.

The three had lunch in Hobart's Salamanca cafe precinct this week to discuss potential collaboration.

Mr Marr was ousted as head of the Wilderness Society last year after internal battles ended a 25-year career as one of the nation's most successful environmental campaigners.

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He told The Weekend Australian he was providing advice on potential barriers to a lasting resolution of the 30-year conflict.

"I've been asked about some of the broader issues that could become barriers to a successful outcome," he said. "So I'm scoping out what some barriers might be."

He said one potential problem was concern about the future of timber giant Gunns, particularly if it could not clinch financial backing for its proposed $2.3 billion Tamar Valley pulp mill.

"If Gunns don't continue as a company, it throws a level of chaos into the outcome, something we could all do without."

Gunns conceded this week its ability to meet its debts depended on the success and timing of further asset sales.

Conservationists and industry players are divided on Gunns' push for its pulp mill to be the centrepiece of a forest deal that moves the timber industry from native forests to plantations.

Professor West, who inspired Tasmania's innovation and food-bowl strategies, said Mr Kelty had asked him if he would advise on the regional impacts of any restructuring. "I said that sounded like the sort of thing I know how to do," he said.

Professor West, director of the Australian Innovation Research Centre, said solutions would vary, but might include new industries in dairy, tourism and high-value crops linked to irrigation.

Mr Marr's involvement has angered some of his former opponents in the Wilderness Society, which is a party to the Kelty talks.

But Mr Kelty said Mr Marr had a lifetime of knowledge of the forests issue, and with Professor West, who was "an internationally significant figure", could make an excellent contribution.

Mr Kelty said he would meet Gunns next week, as well as the state-owned Forestry Tasmania. He said it was too early to know if agreement could be achieved. A $17 million federal scheme has helped 30 forest contractors to leave the industry, but claims some did not satisfy the selection criteria prompted a departmental audit.