Dear Sir
I live in the Tamar Valley, Tasmania, in the Federal seat of Bass.
My concern is the chemical pulp mill that has been proposed by Gunns Limited. Gunns Limited will own and operate this mill in Tasmania for the next 30 years.
As you know Gunns Limited was unable to comply with the State Planning Procedures and consequently withdrew from the formal process and The Tasmanian State Government legislated for and commissioned an alternative assessment.
It has been well publicised in recent national TV and international press. As a Tasmanian I am appalled at the conduct of our elected representatives from local, state politicians to some federal political representatives in what appears to be a “bludgeon like process” and “enforced acceptance” of the perceived but unsubstantiated benefits of the pulp mill.
I remain highly critical and deeply sceptical of the process, assessment, findings and recommendations of those commissioned reports.
I remain extremely concerned about the long term management of Tasmania’s natural forest resource and overall management of the environment.
I am a conservationist. I believe that protection to the environment should premise conservation. I think the current ideology behind Tasmania’s forest industries and Labour State Government is to exploit and not to conserve. I think that well illustrated by the association of the CFMEU with both public and private entities.
“I do not believe that proponents of the chemical pulp mill
should be given sanctions to pollute, threaten, to potentially or actually mean to do harm to people and to our environment. I do not believe that this group should have their interests put above those of others in the self belief that their concerns are more important.”
Forestry Industries and associated down stream processing is exploitive of our natural resources and polluting of our environment. Large scale wood harvesting and chemical processing of timber using chemical processing technology I believe will not be sustainable in Tasmania.
Alterative recent proposals in South Australia have been
rigorously scrutinized and been critiqued as being potentially environmentally hazardous.
I am sure you are familiar with the technology and process of production and how it differs greatly from the proposal by Gunns Limited.
I am no expert but I reckon that this proposed mill in the Tamar Valley will be a poor legacy for the future if approved federally and was allowed to proceed.
Yours Sincerely
Nick Merrony
