TAP/ A Better Australia strategy workshop outcomes re pulp mill and Rudd / Lennon governments

A Better Australia and TAP conducted two workshops with approximately 120 members to plan strategies to stop the pulp mill.

 

Sorted outputs from TAP/ A Better Australia presentations on 21 Jan 2008

 

What concerns does audience have for the future?

Social issues

  • Ignorance & apathy of public
  • Disempowerment of the young
  • Lack of education & political education for our young
  • Fragmentation of community into dysfunctional nuclear families
  • Dysfunctional entrenched political thinking
  • Insanity
  • Loss of jobs to overseas call centres
  • Lack of engagement in political process
  • Lack of engagement in local government process
  • Inability to distinguish between needs and wants
  • Poor understanding of power of vote (not enough Green votes??)

Unrealisable expectation

  • Exponential growth

Failing systems

  • Lack of public transport
  • Disempowerment of teachers
  • Dysfunctional media from community perspective

Results of poor policy

  • Erosion of democracy
  • Too much ‘made in China’ not enough ‘made in Australia’
  • Health service degradation
  • Breakdown of viable careers into short term contracts
  • Biases created by tax policies
  • No rewards for good long-term thinking
  • Lack of balance

Quality of environment

  • Pollution and effects of herbicides

Information systems

  • Degradation of ABC

Threats

  • Genetic modification and risks
  • Corporate greed
  • Rising prices

Political and governance issues

  • Paul Lennon retiring on public money
  • Lack of political accountability
  • Lobbying asymmetry

Survival

  • Lack of self sufficiency/sustainability – personal, regional, national, cultural and moral

 

 

What people would like to have in a better future?

Ecology

  • Application of ecological wisdoms to natural and ‘human’ ecosystems
  • Clean, green Tasmania
  • Fresh air, clean water
  • Tasmania as ‘Noah’s Ark’ for self sufficiency

Human affairs

  • Happiness should be a major goal
  • Create a charter of rights for all citizens
  • Create friends instead of terrorists
  • Participatory democracy in communities of interests
  • Hold social justice as a common good
  • Create/engage in meaningful work
  • Explore different economic models
  • Respond to global needs
  • Remove barriers to information
  • Query big/growth is good mindset
  • Develop sustainable societies
  • Caring communities, countries and world
  • Involve local communities
  • Spiritual society using moral values including ecological
  • Local, interest free currency systems
  • Conserve energy
  • Deal with sound pollution (sensory privacy)
  • More individual self sufficiency
  • Create a first class health system for everyone

Energy

  • Use distributed energy systems

Governance

  • Restrict defence forces to defence activities
  • Abolish two party system – back to democracy
  • Use citizen created referenda
  • Trade in a politician/foreign exchange scheme
  • Rotate parliament like jury duty with ordinary citizens
  • Ban corporate sponsorships of political parties
  • Priorities that include education
  • Re-evaluate arson & corporate arson
  • Consistent laws around Australia Plan for 30 – 50 years, not just parliamentary cycle
  • Assure base income for all citizens
  • Restrict alcohol to those over 21 yrs

Resources

  • Locally produced, in season, fresh foods and produce
  • Buy Australian/Tasmanian

Global

  • Dismantle atomic energy plants

 

 

  

Notes from TAP meeting, 2008-02-22

 

What do you stand to lose if this mill goes ahead?

  • Water
  • Health
  • Livelihood and life savings / income
  • Wildlife and sea creatures
  • Northern Tasmania as we know it
  • Democratic processes
  • Recreational pursuits
  • Safe roads
  • Tourism industry
  • Food production
  • Fresh air
  • Forests

Who do you trust?

  • Who trusts the Lennon Govt?
  • Who trusts Gunns?
  • Who trusts Peter Garrett?

 

Who can stop the mill?

Banks / financiers

  • Why?
  • Too risky (project or economic climate)
  • Not making money from project
  • Losing other customers

Gunns

  • Lose their subsidies
  • Loss of feedstock
  • Board members can vote against it
  • Loss of reliable water supply
  • Competition – world market / profitability
  • Gunns contractors – let them know the consequences for their future business


Government – State

  • Lennon leaves
  • Lennon compromised, loses support / power

Government – Federal ** preferred strategy **

  • Whistleblowers – forced Royal Commission.
  • Project is against Rudd Government’s national goals and targets – eg Greenhouse/Global Warming
  • If took a proper look at project and discovered the inadequacies
  • Government feels more expensive to keep paying Gunns subsidies than to stop it now.
  • Gunns may not meet Chief Scientist’s requirements
  • Impact on economy – present a positive alternative?
  • Mass of mobilised public opinion

 

Others Raised

  • Workers – people building the mill
  • Courts
  • Treasury
  • International treaties