To: ANZ Head Quarters
Attn: Mr M Smith, CEO
Dear Mr Smith,
Re: The Gunns Pulpmill, Tasmania, Australia / Deforestation vs. Climate
Protections &
Institutional/Corporate Responsibilities
As a very concerned citizens I find it necessary to write to you
directly and this with the hope that you will afford the time reading
below all for your considerations. All in the hope that you will side the
environment and the global community at large for all future
generations.... which is way we all are not wanting the proposed new Gunns
Pulpmill Project the associated deforestation and pollution, etc.
As Al Gore Noble Peace Prize winner urges for an early CLIMATE PACT, sure
we and also your institution has to have the support for Mr Al Gore, as
we all urgently need an EARLY CLIMATE PACT, but we also have to urge YOU
to step-up and face realities re the undesirable Gunns Pulpmill Project
which millions of people from around the globe do not want to be realised
!! What ever the Government of the day thinks, because we as Nation have
been refusing to take real, meaningful and fast actions and the essential
measures now for real CLIMATE PROTECTIONS..
We here in Australia we must stop now the massive Deforestation in
Tasmania, to be caused by the new Gunns Pulpmill should the new project
not be stopped now or, are you and all ANZ willing to turn all Aust and
millions around the globe against you the likes of what happened to the
Howard Fed Government.
This Pulpmill is the death warrant for over 200,000 hectares of native
forest, which will be pulped. It must be also alerted to the fact that we
do not only have too much CO2 in our atmosphere, but also far, far too
much H2O - i.e. Water, which water can no longer be sponged-up, absorbed
and stored in our natural environment/habitat.
Forests are one the prime sources of such mega water storage systems,
which then slowly releases the moisture i.e. water through evaporation of
plant material to the atmosphere hence remains longer on the ground. Or
do we eventually have to turn our blue planet to a Moonscape before we do
something about it, of which Australia has been getting already a taste
of it. Or do we all have to suffer far more from extreme and ever
increasing more extreme climate changes, i.e. rain and windstorms or total
droughts, before all the political will can be mustered and action taken
and the corporate sector plays an active role in this, where institutions
such as yours, should show leadership and stand up for the community.
We need active Climate Protection now, i.e. yesterday and a Pact
tomorrow, no more symbolism. So we urge you, let's help Australia to make
that first active step instead and stop this mega deforestation in
Tasmania and stop with it all the associated pollution of global
proportions and all these natural water storage systems, which will assist
in reducing all these deluges causing flooding, etc. This will be a
win-win for all. And worst is, that this Gunns Pulpmill project is
financially not even viable and has been taxpayer funded by the ousted
Federal Howard Government, which our new Rudd government must stop and use
these hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to build infrastructures
for the future. Timber plantations are not sustainable either, with
drought in Tasmania. Such plantations require more water than agriculture.
We need TREE FREE PAPER !!
SO PLEASE HELP STOP THE DEFORESTATION IN TASMANIA / AUSTRALIA - We, as the
whole world's community DO NOT WANT NEW PULP MILLS feed by timber.... We
also do not want every day of every week of the year our letterboxes full
of propaganda/ advertising material - which is out of control here in
Australia as it can be over 1 kg of paper a week per household. Compared
to other western nations, where this practice hardly exists since decades.
Save paper = save trees, increase water storage given by mother nature
and, the paper we really use make it TREE FREE PAPER , this is what we
need and uses all organic matters farmers, etc. are not using. Or are
western government leaders only interested to be part of the western power
block when it is convenient but not when it comes to stop deforestations
in their nations:- 'Tree-free production technology is better than ever.
In developing countries, a third of the paper produced is already
tree-free, according to U.N. estimates, and there is now a budding, if
small, tree-free paper industry emerging in the West' - and why not in
Australia too ??
What is Gunns trying to hide? - receiving 100'dreds of millions of
taxpayers dollars from the previous Australian Howard Government, because
it is financially not sustainable... - and this in times of much needed
real CLIMATE PROTECTIONS and not Symbolism and talk.... Yes we Aussies
would have better invested these funds into infrastructure of this nation
or climate protection - not mega environmental genocide !!
Interesting to know would be, did the then Federal Rudd Opposition know of
this ?? - and if so, as stated being a 'Economic/Financial Conservative' -
Rudd Government, one would have to seriously believe, that our new Prime
Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd, would have to pull the plug on this subsidy
and stop the Gunns Pulpmill and with it the deforestation and likely the
plantation timber operations i.e. in times of scares water availabilities.
As this is not sustainable. We need Climate Protection. and not creating
wilfully and worst of all knowingly more additional new problems affecting
all global communities which your renown institution is willing to
facilitate. Only this will prove what he, Prime Minister Rudd and his
Government says, they mean. Environmental common sense and realities and
in this case even commercial none viability would tell any one - not to
proceed with this project. Let's prevent the scenario that we all have to
tell the Aust Government of the day and as well your institution, we told
you so.....
GIIS believes that Gunns has ignored vital variables when planning their
mill project, and aims to help others minimise their exposure to this
company's seemingly cavalier risk taking. And I and millions of
Australians did not know our hard earned Tax dollars go into this bus....
which offends me/us a great deal.
Thank you all for considerations in supporting the global community and
the will of the people which does not want this Gunns Pulpmill and
instead I urge you to help stop now this deforestation in Australia.
Australia can afford this !! We Australians i.e. Gunns are watched by the
whole world.... hoping we can do the only responsible thing...
I luck forward to hear from you soon.
I remain in optimism and as Mr Al Gore wrote to me personally in the
spirit of CLIMATE PROTECTION NOW !
YOURS FAITHFULLY concerned caring Aussie & Global Citizen
'an Alliance for Climate Protection & Actions member' - who stepped up
his personal actions
Seph Steck
Patterson Lakes /Vic.
