PERMITS to build the state's largest ever infrastructure project can be bought or sold now that Gunns Limited has entered receivership, but there is political division over whether that could happen.
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In Parliament, Premier Lara Giddings said long-term opponents of the Bell Bay pulp mill should not get ahead of themselves.
``This does not mean that the pulp mill project is dead,'' Ms Giddings said.
``Be very careful about dancing on (the company's) grave.
``The resource and the proposal still exist. The unfortunate demise of this company may mean that other proponents come forward.''
Australian Greens leader Christine Milne - whose political career arose from her opposition to a pulp mill flagged for Wesley Vale in the 1980s - said Ms Giddings was misleading Tasmanians.
``There will be no pulp mill in the Tamar Valley,'' Senator Milne said. ``It is wrong to roll out false hope to the people who wanted the pulp mill or to punish those who don't want the pulp mill.''
Tasmanian Greens forestry spokesman Kim Booth also said it was time for the state to move on.
``There is no future for the pulp mill, because had there been Gunns would have been able to get finance for this project,'' he said. ``It is a mirage that's dead and gone and can't be resurrected.''
In Parliament, Opposition Leader Will Hodgman said Greens politicians would no doubt ``be celebrating long and hard after decades of tearing the company down''.
Mr Hodgman did not front the media yesterday but released a short statement lamenting the demise of Gunns and its impact on workers.
Western Tiers MLC Greg Hall and Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck also blamed the Greens for playing a role in the company's demise, with Senator Colbeck describing the party as ``central to the whole sorry saga''.
Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim said he took no satisfaction in having warned of such a situation for decade.
Deputy Premier Bryan Green said he would encourage investors to build the pulp mill using permits and approvals held by Gunns.
Environment Protection Authority director Alex Schaap also confirmed that ``the rights and obligations under the (pulp mill) permit are transferable''.
Markets for Change spokeswoman Peg Putt said she was hopeful that the pulp mill would never be built but ``I'm not saying that's dead certain''.
The Wilderness Society called on administrators to terminate the project's contracts and permits and put the saga to rest.
