Forestry settlement expected this weekend

A final agreement on the future of the Tasmanian forestry industry could be struck as soon as Saturday, as federal Environment Minister Tony Burke continues talks with the state government.
The deal could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is likely to include a compensation package for forestry contractors and sawmillers who have suffered from lay-offs, mill closures and near record-low export volumes.
Mr Burke is expected to give the federal government's stamp of approval - and provide funding - for the historic statement of principles signed last year by environmentalists, industry bodies and unions.
The statement agrees to the protection of large swathes of the state's forests and paves the way for the creation of a plantation-fed pulp mill.
The federal government's first offer was rejected by the state, apparently because the compensation figure was too small.
Mr Burke, who was on Friday presented with former prominent trade unionist Bill Kelty's final report on the statement of principles, said sticking points remained between the parties.
"There's a lot of detail in this, there's a lot of different components," he said.
"Some of them go specifically to issues that relate to native forestry, some go to plantation, others go to general diversification of the economy.
"You've then got environmental outcomes ... there's a whole series of issues."
The compensation figure was only part of the agreement, Mr Burke said.
"I'm not sure that you can make the statement of principles work without a commonwealth contribution, but you've also got to recognise that it's not only about money," he said.