pressure mounts over new gunns offer

There is increasing pressure on the State Government to reach a deal with Gunns to buy back its native forest contracts.

The Premier made a second offer to the timber company on Friday.

The amount of money on the table has almost doubled, to up to $43 million.

The Government is also offering a proposed resolution of up to $25 million in disputed debts owed to Forestry Tasmania by Gunns.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says not one single dollar should go to Forestry Tasmania or the pulp mill.

"[It's] very shoddy politics from the Premier."

"Forestry Tasmania, which has had hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers' money subsidising its economic failed operations in recent decades, should not have more good money thrown after bad and the Premier needs to come to grips with that," he said.

Senator Brown has asked the Federal Government to have the Commonwealth Solicitor-General investigate if there is a legal requirement to pay Gunns.

The Premier, Lara Giddings, says the senator is playing politics on a complex and sensitive issue.

The Opposition Leader, Will Hodgman, says Gunns chose to give back its contracts.

"I don't think they should be paying them once cent."

Senator Brown was due to raise the issue with the Prime Minister last night.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-12/20110912-pressure-mounts-over-new-gunns-offer/2881170