Cost

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, a record of 186 statements from CEO John Gay and Gunns Ltd, and State and Federal governments relating to the planned pulp mill in the Tamar Valley.

The statements have been collated by TAP Research from media reports, documentaries and publications from 2004 to the present and are hyperlink referenced for easy checking. The ‘Gunns Dossier’ will be updated periodically as new evidence emerges.

Gunns Ltd continues to pursue its goal of a very large chemical pulp mill in the Tamar Valley.

You are invited to register your interest in being part of a potential class action seeking compensation for damages arising from Gunns Ltd planned pulp mill should it be built.

Tasmanians Against the Pulp Mill (TAP) has initiated the register to collate details of interested parties and to determine the extent of possible damages to the community and businesses if the proposed pulp mill proceeds.

This plain English guide to Gunns' contract offer was prepared by a Melbourne lawyer for landowners who have been made an offer by Gunns to purchase rights to install a pipeline across their land.

The bottom line is that it seems the landowner is being offered a short term, once off financial benefit, for long term financial detriment and long term inconvenience and risk.

Download this information as a pdf copy from below.

1. Summary of offer in the contract

(a) Gunns wants to build a pipeline from Lake Trevallyn to the site of the proposed pulp mill.

Did you know that the State Government passed a law in 2007 that removes your right to appeal for compensation for any harm caused by Gunns’ planned pulp mill?

This paper is an attempt to identify and quantify the subsidies paid to Gunns and the logging industry in Tasmania. Drawing upon broad community input via the online newspaper www.tasmaniantimes.com , it was compiled by Andrew Bent  and edited by TAP.

Summary of findings

1. Taxpayer funding diverted to support pulp mill and logging

Report by prepared by Naomi Edwards April 2008.

Main points:

Report prepared by TAP, 2007.

Gunns Ltd and the Tasmanian Government both trumpet the economic benefits of an anticipated $6.7 billion boost to the state economy with 1617 new jobs from construction and 292 jobs long term.

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

The new petition to the Rudd Labor Government is an independent Tasmanian community initiative for everyone left at risk by the Gunns pulp mill approvals process. Download your copy of the petition from below.

What is the petition about?

George Town municipality rate payers can now vote on four questions on the pulp mill elector poll. TAP recommends the following guide to voting. 

Question 1 A - the approval process - Vote NO
We were told that the mill had to be fast tracked through Parliament for commercial reasons. But project finance has not been secured, the required studies are not complete, final federal approvals have not been given and construction is at least 6 months away.