Former Liberal Premier Robin Gray has weighed into the debate over the collapse of the forestry peace deal.
Former Labor Premier Paul Lennon supports the current Premier Lara Giddings’ moves to bring the forest peace talk signatories back together.
He has warned of job losses and economic trouble in regional areas without an agreement.
“In that environment it seems to me that it’s not an option to walk away,” he said.
“There will be more job losses and that will put serious pressure on regional communities in Tasmania.
“You don’t cut and run at the last minute, in my opinion, you hang in there and you get an agreement and you only have an agreement if both sides are prepared to compromise their positions.”
But former Gunns director Robin Gray, who was also the Liberal Tasmanian Premier during the bitter Franklin Dam dispute in the 1980s, has criticised Labor’s support for the talks.
He says Paul Lennon should know the Greens and environment groups can not be trusted.
“I can only think that Paul’s having a lend of himself,” he said.
“I am a great admirer of Paul Lennon but I think he has shown that he doesn’t really understand how serious this issue is and how vulnerable the Government is over it and that he’s giving way to pressure from people who really don’t understand the Greens.”
The peace talks collapsed at the weekend, although today is the deadline set by industry groups.
Gunns demise
Mr Gray has spoken out about the demise of Gunns for the first time since the company entered administration.
He has accused the Greens and other activists of conspiring to bring the company down.
He has also admitted Gunns multi-billion dollar pulp mill is now unlikely to proceed.
“It’s been a conspiracy amongst Greens, conspiracy amongst the opponents of it, many of them from outside the state,” he siad.
“Many people who have contributed nothing to Tasmania ever are now responsible for the demise of Gunns one of the great Tasmanian companies.
“It’s is just deplorable what is going on in this state.”
