Denison independent MHR Andrew Wilkie told the media on Saturday that a trustworthy source had seen a draft cabinet submission relating to federal funding for the project through the Export Finance and Insurance Commission.

Yesterday Mr Wilkie said there was no doubt in his mind that such a document existed, despite senior ministers saying they had no knowledge of it and a clause in the Tasmanian forests intergovernmental agreement precluding federal funding for Gunns' pulp mill.

Point 42 of the agreement states: ``The Commonwealth's position is that no Commonwealth funds will be paid to progress the Bell Bay pulp mill project.''

Mr Burke said yesterday that he had already given the environmental approvals for the pulp mill to go ahead.

``However, we're not providing further assistance nor are they asking for it,'' Mr Burke said.

A spokeswoman for Regional Development Minister Simon Crean said Mr Wilkie's claims had come as a surprise and a Gunns spokesman said the company had not applied for funding through the Export Finance and Insurance Commission.

Mr Wilkie said he had not seen the document himself, but that a source he trusted had told him about it.

``It's a single source but it's someone I trust,'' Mr Wilkie said.

``I don't know how recent it is or how far it has progressed.''