What’s new

Summary of latest media reports on Gunns' attempts to build a pulp mill Go to media reports.  (Updated 31 August 10)

For commentary on the state of play, go to TAP media releases. (updated 2 August 10)

TAP general meeting. Every two weeks at 6.45 for 7pm start on Thursdays at the Riverside Community Centre, off Brownfields Lane, West Tamar Highway behind the Riverside High School. Come and hear the latest state of play and to plot, plan, conspire, collude, contrive, hatch, scheme, calculate, concoct, cook up, devise and otherwise bring the downfall of Gunns' proposed pulp mill. See the calendar at right for the next meeting date. All welcome.

Gunns share price www.google.com/finance shows movements in the price  of Gunns Ltd shares.  Prices were at a high of $4.45 on 4 January 2005 around the time of announcement of the planned pulp mill. Closing price on 31 August $0.63.

Forum stories on Robert Eastment's claims and on pulp mill wood supply issues. See home page below (added 31 August)

Gunns' planned pulp mill on the nose for voters.  Polling of the northern Tasmanian 63 telephone district shows a clear majority of the electorate is less likely to vote for a political party that intends to support Gunns proposed pulp mill with taxpayer funds. See TAP media releases. (Added 2 August 10)

Senator Christine Milne in an email to TAP (28 July) confirms that she  remains "totally opposed to the Gunns proposed pulp mill in the Tamar valley". (added 30 July 10)

Senator Bob Brown and the Greens remain opposed to the Tamar Valley Pulp Mill.  Here is the excerpt from the recent press club speech:
Christian Kerr from The Australian, Bob, you raise the old perennial of logging, and the pulp mill. There are some interesting developments going on there. Would you ever support a pulp mill in the Tamar Valley, if it was part of a deal that protected the remaining high conservation-value forest areas of Tasmania?
Bob Brown, No Christian. Not unless it has the acceptance of the community in the Tamar Valley. And you'll know there's been huge opposition there.

Open letter responding to Premier David Bartlett's question to TAP.  The Premier's key question transcribed from audio tape of an impromptu meeting was "Is there any, can I ask you a question, is there any circumstances under which a pulp mill, you know, if you think about it, if it was totally, um, chlorine free, if it was closed loop, if it was in another place, I’m just saying, I’m trying to ask you, is there a scenario and it was obviously all plantation fed and accredited by FSC, is there a circumstance under which you would say No, that’s a reasonable project? Would you object or not?" Read TAP's response to the Premier's question in open letter. (added 15 July 10) (UPDATE 30 July) No response had been forthcoming from the Premier so the letter from TAP was hand delivered to him in Launceston last night by approximately 20 waiting 'Tappers'. (FURTHER UPDATE 4 AUGUST) The Premier has at last agreed to meet with TAP members at a date to be confirmed.

Penetrating analysis of forestry problems in Tasmania by Mike Bolan. " The shift of focus of Tasmania’s timber industry from valued timbers to woodchips has fuelled a range of dysfunctional results, including huge losses to the industry involving multiple bankruptcies (e.g. Great Southern, TimberCorp, FEA) and lost profits for Gunns. The ongoing efforts to shoehorn the idea of turning trees into their lowest common denominator of fibre, has corrupted our political system and threatens a massive community revolt."  The Forestry Assault (28 June 10)

TAP media release. Forest talks set to fail. “Private discussions between environmentalists and forest industry groups to solve conflict over logging in the State are doomed to fail if the wide-ranging concerns of the public are not considered”, said John Day, spokesman for the community group TAP Into A Better Tasmania.  The proposed forestry roundtable to thrash out a way forward for the industry in Tasmania has been sidelined in favour of private talks between environmentalists and the timber sector.
 Media release (21 June 10)

Botnia pulp mill U-tube video. This polluting mill is the same design proposed for the Tamar Valley and is 'advertised' as world's best practice. As seen in the video, after two years in operation the pollution in the river between Uruguay and Argentina is atrocious. It is not only the waste in the river but the air quality and obnoxious smell emanating from the mill which has caused up to 100,000 people protest continually on the bridge between the 2 countries. Video link to the Botnia pulp mill Uruguay (added 8 June 10)

Who is Gunns' hired gun Timo Piilonen? (added 7 June 10)

Gunns ASX spin statements 2007 to present Here is the spin to cover a lack of substance extracted from 20 statements issued by Gunns to the ASX about imminent financing and construction of the pulp mill from 2007 to the present. Key words and phrases (the only bit you need to know) are distilled for you here: “substantially progressed, completed in the near term, proceed quickly, final stages of completion, commencing on site construction, final terms, finalise the arrangement, strong international interest, active discussions, discussions continuing, continuing to progress, continuing to work positively, progress discussions, continuing to negotiate, continuing talks, continuing with the project, quickly as possible, move forward, will continue, quickly as possible, progressing, on target, expecting to reach agreement, finalised, moving forward positively, project ready.” See Extracts from Gunns’ ASX statements from 2007 to present (updated 3 June) 2010.

Sydney Morning Herald opinion poll show 3 times more people believe Gunns should drop its planned pulp mill to every one saying it should go ahead. (added 1 June 10)

A thought provoking essay on "The Tragedy of Tasmania" by Peter Henning. (added 20 May 10)

In depth analysis of Tasmania's forest industry by Mike Bolan. "Around and around the same old table" (added 18 May 10)

'A WORM in the APPLE' by film maker David Leigh documents the fight against overwhelming odds by Tasmanians desperate for a return to democracy and a return to sanity in a world being torn apart by greed. A WORM in the APPLE (added 11 May 10)

Impacts of plantations for the proposed pulp mill See plantations

TAP newspaper Download the first edition of TAP's newspaper. (Added 9 Jan 10)

Jobs jobs jobs! How many new pulp mill jobs? This in-depth analysis has found that for every Tasmanian directly employed in the construction phase and operation of the proposed pulp mill, more than three jobs will be lost in tourism and fishing over the life of the mill. See Jobs jobs jobs! How many new pulp mill jobs? (New revision updated 11 Oct 09)

Bench marks concerning the start of construction and the start of pulp manufacture are in the Wood Supply agreement (pages 3 to 4 and pages 10 to 11 in the original contract and variation deed respectively). These are now - construction to start by 30 November 2010 and pulp manufacture to start by 31 December 2012. Construction on the pulp mill site, in the PMAA 2007 and Working Permits, is defined and includes vegetation clearance. They will vary these dates again, as even if construction started in November 2010 production would not start in December 2012 - there would not be enough time to build and start production in this time frame. Gunns states that construction will take 2.5 years. Read more at Government agreements with Gunns watch. (Added 30 Sep 09)

Opinion polls Averaging results from 20 opinion polls conducted between 2005 and 2009, shows that more than twice as many oppose Gunns' planned pulp mill as support it. See opinion polls. (updated 16 Sep 09)

Peter Henning: the Pulp Mill Assessment Act revisited. The PMAA exemplifies political rot and the failure of Tasmanian political processes at their worst. (added 22 Aug 09)

Confidential letters between the RPDC and Gunns reveal concerns on fugitive odours and other issues that are still unresolved today. Go to fugitive odours to download the leaked letters (added 2 July 09)

EMRS poll shows two in every three Tasmanians don’t want the planned Tamar Valley pulp mill to go ahead because it will result in foreign operatives effectively controlling Tasmanian water, land and forests. See Opinion polls and Media releases (added 28 June 09)

Is Gunns Ltd Reliable? Pulp and paper expert Dr Warwick Raverty, reached the “sad conclusion that Gunns is not a fit and proper company to build a pulp mill anywhere” in Tasmania (14 March 2007). That conclusion is supported by the Gunns Dossier: Pulp Mill Smoke and Mirrors, now updated and republished as Is Gunns Ltd Reliable? It contains a record of nearly 200 statements from CEO John Gay and Gunns Ltd, and State and Federal governments relating to the planned pulp mill in the Tamar Valley. Go to Is Gunns Ltd Reliable? (updated 27 June 09) and download the pdf.

Summary of risks to Sodra's bottom line from investing in Gunns’ planned pulp mill. See  Financial risks (Added 20 June 09)

Letter to Swedish firm Sodra about significant and undisclosed risks to their bottom line should the company decide to invest in Gunns’ pulp mill planned for the Tamar Valley. The potential withdrawal of ongoing taxpayer subsidies in response to the global economic downturn means that future profits cannot be guaranteed. Sodra has not responded to the letter from TAP.

Tourism businesses, vineyards and fine food producers trapped in the 110km wide foul gas zone of Gunns planned pulp mill. Updated and revised. Go to foul gas zone (added 26 May 09)

Do you trust the Government? In whose interest are the Government’s proposed regional planning laws? Why are they being fast tracked? See Do you trust the Government?  (added 14 April 09)

Class action Register your interest in joining a potential class action seeking compensation if Gunns' planned pulp mill proceeds in the Tamar Valley. Already one angry property owner has come forward saying the Commonwealth Bank has advised in writing that should the pulp mill go ahead, the value of his property will be discounted by $100,000. The 'registration of interest' database is steadily growing as more and more people lodge their details in the first step towards a potential class action.