To progress towards a better Tasmania, TAP into a Better Tasmania strongly recommends that the Local Government of Tasmania (LGAT) demand that the State Government’s planning review process be stopped to allow a full and proper input by the public and all Local Councils.
MEDIA RELEASE February 10th 2012
Yesterday Gunns announced that the foreign owned Richard Chandler Corporation intends taking a stake in the once powerful but now much diminished company.
“This announcement unleashed a torrent of unseemly and immature language from politicians and business leaders”, said TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon.
“It would have served Tasmania much better if our politicians and business leaders had been more temperate in their language and behaviour and had their highly paid advisors do some homework on the corporation that is set to control Gunns and control many of Tasmania’s resources of land, trees and water. One would have expected a modicum of due diligence from our leaders but embarrassingly that was not on display yesterday.
“Instead of being ‘thrilled’ and declaring Tasmania ‘open for business’ it would have been much better if the Premier had shown more self control and done some homework on the Chandler Corporation before coming across like some groupie at a rock concert.
“To be fair to the Premier, the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition was even worse, if that’s any consolation.
“There are many questions the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition should be asking of the Chandler Corporation, as should all Tasmanians.
“For example, is it true as reported in the Dow Jones Newswires, that a Swiss court ordered the Chandler owned Sovereign Finance Group to close following alleged money laundering activities in Russia and the Caribbean?
“Is it true that a police search of the Zurich offices of Sovereign (Forex) Ltd, Sovereign Capital Management AG, Sovereign Finance Group AG and the Zurich branch of Sovereign Bank Corp Ltd prompted the court’s closure order?
“Is it true that in addition to the money laundering allegations, the company was ordered to close because it did not have a banking license?
Greg L’Estrange of Gunns said “people around the world know Richard Chandler Corporation by reputation. They have a high governance and ethical standard”.
“Yet according to investigative journalist Robert Eringer, Chandler has also been thrown out of Dubai and Monaco for money laundering. Is it also true, as Eringer alleges, that Chandler was also guilty of running an unregistered commodity trading company?
“Richard Chandler is an investor in Gazprom, the Russian energy company. To quote Eringer: “Richard Chandler, a Monaco resident from New Zealand, is listed in Monaco’s police files as ‘holding a significant portion of capital of companies related to Russians connected to organized crime, and laundering money in relation to such.’”
“The questions Tasmanians will be asking of our politicians and business leaders is this: If only some of this is true is Tasmania open for this sort of business?
“Furthermore, do our politicians and business leaders even care, so blinded are they by the prospect of getting a pulp mill at any cost,” concluded McMahon.
CONTACT: Bob McMahon
“We’ll be flying hundreds of black flags”, said Bob McMahon TAP spokesperson.
“The flags and the choice of black as the colour of the rally is to signify those dark days in March 2007 when the great betrayal of our democracy took place.
“That was when the Pulp Mill Assessment Act, the ‘fast track’ assessment, was rubber stamped through both houses of parliament by Labor and Liberal. The only dissent was from the four Greens in the lower house and a handful of honourable independents in the upper.
“Let’s be absolutely clear as to what happened back in March 2007. The legislation was substantially written by the company which it so obscenely favours – this they have never denied – and the bill was escorted through the corridors, bar, and chambers of Parliament by a squad of lobbyists, lawyers and heavies from Gunns, the CFMEU and the logging industry.
“It was tantamount to a coup d’etat.
“That Labor and Liberal politicians and their fellow travellers in the upper house were the willing patsies of this gross abuse of parliamentary democracy should never be excused or diminished in any way,” continued McMahon.
“It was one of the most shameful episodes, perhaps THE most shameful episode, in out political history. It demonstrated a breathtaking contempt for the institution of parliamentary democracy by the very parliamentarians whose sacred duty it was to uphold.
“The great irony is that it was all for nothing,” said McMahon. “There is no pulp mill. Not a single cent of investment money has been attracted to the project in six and half years. It remains, as it always was, a grand delusion. Yet unprincipled government has wasted vast sums of public money on it, money that should have been allocated to health, education, policing, aged care etc.
“The pulp mill is over. The nightmare of an uncompetitive, world scale resource gobbling industry for an island that is not world scale, has held Tasmania back for six and a half years.
“Let us get on with what we do best in Tasmania, establishing innovative, creative, small to medium business directed at the quality end of the market.
“The pulp mill has already destroyed two premiers. As sure as night follows day it will destroy a third unless she cuts herself free from the mill insanity and embraces and articulates a positive vision for Tasmania,” concluded McMahon.
RALLY SPEAKERS
Dr Frank Nicklason, Royal Hobart Hospital and a Gunns 20.
Peter Cundall, campaigner without peer.
Lucy Landon-Lane, Pulp The Mill.
Kim Booth, Greens.
Bob McMahon, TAP spokesperson.
CONTACT: Bob McMahon 0448 547290 or 63944225
Community Groups TAP and TPEHN join in condemning the ‘forest principle agreement’ because it is very specifically tied to the delivery of the Gunns' Tamar Valley pulp mill.
As reported in The Australian yesterday, Bill Kelty said ‘green’ groups must strike a deal on the Gunns' Tamar Valley pulp mill or miss out on permanent protection of 565,000 hectares of native forest.
“There you have it. This is what the ‘roundtable’ negotiations have been about all along,” commented Dr Alison Bleaney of TPEHN.
“From the point of view of Gunns and the Labor Party, the forest ‘roundtable’ was about delivering the Long Reach pulp mill. From the ENGO’s side it was about delivering protection to native forest. They were the two glittering prizes up for grabs and to pretend otherwise is misleading,” said TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon.
“In order for both sides to get what they wanted it was important to exclude the community first and foremost. Why? Because it was expected that the community would be opposed to any trade-off of the sort so bluntly expressed by Kelty”, continued McMahon.
“After all, the community was going to have to pay the price for the sort of deal the forest industry negotiators had in mind. The community had to be sidelined and kept in the dark. Thus the secrecy. We were the sacrifice."
“That the blatantly undemocratic, rigged and secret ‘roundtable’ negotiations and the ‘forest principles’ that resulted (including in principle support for plantations and ‘a pulp mill’) received the enthusiastic support of the ALP is no surprise."
“That the Greens have also been enthusiastic supporters of the undemocratic negotiations as constituted, and the ‘forest principles’ that resulted from the illegitimate process, is deeply distressing for the community and incredibly damaging to the Greens themselves,” said McMahon.
“Kelty has made it abundantly clear that the success of the Gunns/ALP pulp mill is dependent on the signing of the ‘forest principles agreement’,” said Dr. Bleaney.
“Therefore, both TAP and TPEHN, demand that The Wilderness Society, Environment Tasmania and Australian Conservation Foundation either refuse to sign the agreement as it exists or insist that the Gunns Tamar Valley pulp mill be specifically excluded from the agreement as a principle."
“We expect many other community groups will join us in making this demand”.
“It is not too late for the Greens to redeem themselves either”, confirmed Bob McMahon. “They will have to stop the doublethink and unequivocally withdraw their support for the ‘forest principles’ as they stand and the illegitimate roundtable process which produced them. It is not good enough for the Greens to say they do not support the Tamar Valley pulp mill while supporting a process designed from the very beginning to deliver that very same pulp mill.
“Dr Bleaney and I want to put this bizarre chapter of Tasmanian history into context. This is a monumental issue of social justice. Should the environment groups sign up to the ‘forest principles’ deal as it currently exists it will be viewed as a great betrayal of current and future generations of Tasmanians, whose social, economic and environmental horizons will be severely diminished and restricted by the demands Gunns mill will place on our basic resources of land and water and of the huge public subsidies the mill will need in order to compete against cheaper producers in developing countries.
Contact:
Bob McMahon 0448 547290 TAP
Dr Alison Bleaney 0417 302549 TASMANIAN PUBLIC and ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NETWORK
Today a squad from TAP Into A Better Tasmania's Forest Restoration Division planted native trees on a section of the Gunns abandoned pulp mill site at Longreach.
"We realize this is only a token restoration but we have been very much heartened by the success of our restoration planting in the Trevallyn Reserve following the vandalism by Gunns in 2009", said TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon.
"Gunns cleared an area of the peoples' Trevallyn Reserve, as well as the Longreach site, in a vain attempt to convince a fantasy investor that the proposed pulp mill was a goer. That was nearly two years ago and the pulp mill proposal has only gone backwards since", continued McMahon.
"We dedicate today's planting to the memory of 5 inspirational campaigners for social justice and a world scale pulp industry free Tasmania."
1. Stuart Leith, inaugural TAP member, who died at the helm of his yacht sailing down the Tamar to the TAP River Rally
in October 2006
2. Mike Bleaney from St Helens. Unqualified loyalty and support and a fighter to the end.
3. Ruth Rowe, TAP member. An indefatigable campaigner for the environment and social justice passed away recently aged 95.
4. Dr Peter Hewitt. One of his last public appearances was to address, from his wheelchair, a TAP demonstration outside Gunns offices.
5. Christopher Strong, former Headmaster of Launceston Church Grammar and passionate campaigner against monoculture plantations encroaching upon Tasmania's rural communities.
"It is our expectation that communities right around Tasmania will look to schemes for reversing the government sponsored corporate vandalism that has destroyed much of our productive forests and left much of our productive farmland under useless monoculture tree plantations," concluded McMahon.
CONTACT: Bob McMahon 0448 547290 or 63944225
Tamar Valley community organisations today denied claims that Gunns Ltd has been in consultation with them regarding Gunns proposed pulp mill.
Gunns Ltd’s CEO, Greg L’Estrange, in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange and the Australian media, (3/3/11), advised that Gunns Ltd have been consulting with community groups as part of the approval process.
Community groups opposed to the Gunns pulp mill proposal categorically reject they have been in any way, part of any consultative process and advise that any inference that consultation has occurred would be misleading to investors and the ASX.
Community Groups reiterate that they remain completely opposed to the Gunns’ Tamar Valley pulp mill proposal.
TAP Into A Better Tasmania, Friends of the Tamar, Pulp The Mill.
Bob McMahon from TAP Into A Better Tasmania responded to the signing of the Forest Statement of Principles by saying: "The three environment groups have signed an in-principle agreement for a pulp mill in Tasmania which Gunns and Shadforths are already claiming is a social licence for the Bell Bay pulp mill."
"Gunns’ share price rose 20% on the news of the agreement. The market cannot see any distinction between the environment groups’ support for a pulp mill and Gunns’ Bell Bay pulp mill. The environment groups have got some fast talking to do,” said McMahon.
"Gunns’ claim of a social licence for their pulp mill highlights the damaging tactical blunder made by the environment groups. They now face the near-impossible task of convincing their own members as well as the community at large, whom they have kept in the dark up until now."
"Similarly, the promotion of plantations by the environment groups will attract only condemnation from communities right across the state which have been damaged by the cancerous growth of monoculture plantations".
"The forest agreement fails to include principles of protecting water supplies sucked up by plantations and poisoned by herbicides and pesticides. There is no mention of protection of food- producing land, community health and rural community economic viability, all of which have been seriously impacted by plantations in Tasmania."
"The community has been deliberately excluded and serious issue with plantations deliberately ignored," continued McMahon.
A public meeting at Rowella last night arranged by TAP to discuss the collapsed housing market in the Rowella/Kayena/Sidmouth area metamorphosed into an outburst of anger and outrage at the actions of the environment groups.
"The word 'betrayal' was used repeatedly. I have to say the Greens copped a hammering as well," said McMahon.
"The meeting affirmed that Gunns had no social licence for their pulp mill. Not now. Not ever. The 45 residents who attended the meeting also affirmed that they were ready for the fight," concluded McMahon.
CONTACT: Bob McMahon 0448 547 290
AIRLIE WARD, ABC PRESENTER: A resolution to Tasmania’s forestry conflict has been described as like trying to reach peace in the Middle East.
Players on both sides have held intractable positions so the fact they’ve made it to it the negotiating table has been cause for celebration.
Until last week’s leak of draft principles, the talks have been kept firmly under wraps.
Those principles include a three month progressive moratorium on logging high conservation value forests, the hand back of native forest and a pulp mill.
However, Stateline has learned that not all within the environment movement are happy with the negotiations.
Negotiators have been keen to present a united face and keep a lid on any descent.
BOB MCMAHON, PULP MILL OPPONENT: TAP, we’ve come under a lot of pressure from certain amounts of the Green movement to toe the line on this secret negotiation business and not to express our dissent, not to express our refusal to be part of it.
AIRLIE WARD: Tasmanians against the pulp mill, known as TAP, are not at the table but are worried about what might be negotiated.
BOB MCMAHON: There’s only one pulp mill proposal on the table and that’s the Tamar Valley pulp mill.
AIRLIE WARD: Stateline has learned there is broader dissent from members of Tasmania’s peak environment group at the negotiating table.
Environment Tasmania has a key role at the round table.
There’ve been four resignations from its management committee in recent weeks.
Chairman Peter Hay says his reasons were personal.
In his letter of resignation, secretary Kevin Knowles from the Meander Valley said,
“I’m a strong believer of a peak body that represents and assists all environment organisations in Tasmania.
I also believe in openness, transparency and due process. ET has failed to do that this.”
He added:
“I have serious concerns of the outside influences that are running the ET agenda and the legal ramifications involved with ET association with non-member organisations.”
Todd Dudley from North East Bioregion Network said he resigned because Environment Tasmania was too narrowly focussed.
Mr Dudley, who has been an environmental activist in Tasmania for over 25 years said he feared Environment Tasmania was only targeting forestry activities on public land and ignoring other environmental issues.
Deb Hunter who’s also quit, said she was busy doing her PhD.
None of those who resigned from Environment Tasmania would agree to an interview.
The environmental negotiators at the forestry round table have been disciplined about keeping talks in house.
That was reinforced this week in an email sent by Environment Tasmania’s Phill Pullinger to the round table’s forest reference group after Stateline started making inquiries.
“Some of you might be called by the ABC trying to dig up a story about splits within the environment movement and to ask you if you do get a call to not comment.”
BOB MCMAHON: Do they want to fail because once you start this secrecy, once you start muzzling people, that is the first step down the road to utter failure.
AIRLIE WARD: Bob McMahon from Tasmanian’s against the pulp mill says people should not be preventing from speaking out.
BOB MCMAHON: We have a particular view and it’s based upon our experience in Tasmania over the years that it’s far too much dealing being done behind closed doors, too many under the table type arrangements, semi cosy relationships. No we are very much opposed to the whole idea of secrecy.
Secrecy breeds suspicion.
AIRLIE WARD: Also leaked to Stateline were minutes of a meeting held by the forest reference group a couple of weeks ago.
Those minutes included a vote on whether biomass or plantation residue could be burned for renewable energy certificates.
Some concern was expressed to Stateline that the vote was recorded differently to how it was in fact made.
In his email to the forest reference group advising members not to speak to the media, Environment Tasmania’s Phill Pullinger warned:
“A former participant in the Forest Reference Group has been involved in leaking to a journalist at the ABC some specific discussion points of a previous Forest Reference Group meeting - which is obviously totally unacceptable.”
Bob McMahon says they have got a caucus mentality like major political parties which expect members to vote as a bloc.
BOB MCMAHON: It reminds me of a few totalitarian regimes actually Airlie, I think it’s a disgraceful state of affairs and this precisely what we’re objecting to.
AIRLIE WARD: Bob McMahon fears the negotiations are too one tracked.
BOB MCMAHON: You have got let’s say the environment groups going for a glittering prize, which is the cessation of all native forest logging and you’ve got the industry going for their glittering prize, which is is the Tamar Valley pulp mill.
You put both groups into a room, where do they meet?
Who compromises with whom?
AIRLIE WARD: Among the concerns expressed to Stateline were that native forest logging was dominating negotiations.
Some of the environmental groups said they were not opposed to selective harvesting, just the current scale of it.
Others feared it will mean an increase in plantations to provide stock for a mill.
Recently formed Our Common Ground has also had casualties.
Former State Labor forests minister Andrew Lohrey said he was no longer actively involved.
St Helen’s doctor Alison Bleaney admitted she has left Our Common Ground.
She said it was difficult to work out what they were doing and that she was concerned about the group’s focus and processes.
Lesley Nicklason, a campaigner from north east campaigner concerned about the spread of plantations also confirmed she is no longer with Our Common Ground.
None of those who have resigned from Our Common Ground were prepared to be interviewed.
Some environmentalists who spoke to Stateline were concerned about the relationship between Our Common Ground and Environment Tasmania.
They share office facilities and Our Common Ground member Rod West is Environment Tasmania’s landlord.
"Internal 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," said TAP Into A Better Tasmania spokesman, Rod Hutchins.
The poll was carried out in late July 2010 by TAP Into a Better Tasmania. Voters were asked, "Would you be more or less likely to vote for a party intending to use taxpayers' money to support Gunns? proposed pulp mill?" Of the 258 Tasmanian voters surveyed, 55% said they are "less likely", 26% said they were "more likely" and 19% were unsure.
If the undecided are either excluded or distributed in the usual manner for polls, some 68% of voters are less likely to vote for a party that intends using taxpayer funds to support Gunns' proposal.
Rod Hutchins said, "The conspiracy of silence on the pulp mill from the major parties belies the continuing strong resistance to the proposal. This is the latest in a long series of polls that shows Tasmanians overwhelmingly don?t want it and don?t want governments to support it."
"A corrupted government pulp mill assessment has delivered a toxic lemon and the proposal must be axed now or resubmitted to the planning system for a complete and independent assessment at Gunns? expense. The assessment by the RPDC was foreshortened to supposedly avoid severe economic losses, and we now know that the project information was 'critically deficient'," said Mr Hutchins.
"The pulp mill proposal continues to threaten thousands of existing jobs in tourism, fishing, wineries and organic food production. Further investments and jobs in these clean industries of the future remain frozen while the pulp mill remains on the books," he concluded.
For further information contact Rod Hutchins
Spokesperson for TAP Into A Better Tasmania
“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.
“Environmentalists do not speak for communities hit by aerial spraying, lost jobs in food production, depleted water supplies, and many other impacts from the way forestry is currently practised”, John Day said.
“The fibre plantation wood supply for the proposed pulp mill is a major land use and imposes a huge burden on many for the benefit of a few”, he continued.
“A full independent risk assessment with community input is essential and must include the costs and impacts of all plantations on the Tasmanian people, public subsidies and the ability of the Government to fund basic essential services”, he said.
For further information contact:
TAP Into A Better Tasmania spokesman, John Day
“There will be no social licence for a pulp mill and its fibre plantation wood supply while the public continues to be excluded from the Round Table discussions and continues to carry the huge burden of uncosted impacts on health, water and jobs”, said John Day, spokesman for the community group TAP Into A Better Tasmania.
“The public is appalled that Geoffrey Cousins, Senator Brown and the Wilderness Society can somehow offer Gunns a ‘social licence’ in exchange for a particular type of pulp mill. This way of solving the issue is as badly flawed as the government’s one-sided benefits-only assessment of the pulp mill,“ he continued.
“Any proposal for a pulp mill anywhere must have a full independent risk assessment with community input. The assessment must include the costs and impacts of its plantation wood supply on the Tasmanian people, public subsidies and the ability of the Government to fund basic essential services first,” he said.
He went on, “Forestry is a major land use and imposes a huge burden on many for the benefit of a few. The people - rural communities, tourism businesses and many others - are suffering from stress and continued uncertainty, burn-off smoke and aerial spraying, lost jobs in tourism, depleted water supplies, and many other impacts from the way forestry is currently practised”.
“A pulp mill will cement in the burden of plantations over huge areas of the State and lock in the State to booms and bust of the global commodity cycles”, Mr Day said.
“There will be no social licence for a pulp mill and forestry while the public continues to carry the burden for the benefit of a few and remains excluded from the discussions.”
For further information contact:
TAP Into A Better Tasmania spokesman, John Day
TAP Into A Better Tasmania welcomes Mr. Gay’s retirement as an opportunity to replace an outdated modus operandi with a more enlightened and acceptable approach to forestry and fibre plantations business. This is essential if the company is ever to achieve its much desired “social licence”.
TAP Into A Better Tasmania does not endorse the gushing valedictions of Mr. Lennon, the Labor Government, the Liberal opposition and a range of Forestry Industry spokesmen in recent statements about Mr Gay’s contribution to Tasmania.
The positive initial growth of the company and the industry has been totally destroyed by the debts hanging over the industry, the contractors and the investors. Tasmanians also have not been able to accept the wilfull waste that has occurred for years in our forests or the decimation of our bio-diversity and the destruction of our farmlands and communities by this industry.
Community concerns have not been considered, or have been sidelined; government promises have been repeatedly broken; as have alternative views or warnings, together with an industry wide failure to recognise changing market demands. Forestry Tasmania and the industry are, as a result, in a very poor condition to face the future.
It has been almost six years since the pulp mill project was first mooted and opposition to the project itself and the debauched manner of its procurement is as strong as ever. This is unlikely to change until true common ground is found between the community, the Government, the industry and the company.
Community members are still under considerable duress because uncertainty still surrounds the project and they do not have the confidence or will to grow or, in some cases, continue their businesses. They are unable to live their lives unfettered while there is a possibility that this still-proposed project could be commenced at any time.
Successive Labor Governments supported by the Liberal Party have blindly provided justifications, support, and subsidies for the still-proposed project. No company or industry should receive so much assistance, at the expense of providing basic public services to all Tasmanians. All assistance to industries or companies should be subject to an independent and fully holistic review before undertakings are given.
TAP Into A Better Tasmania recognises that the Forestry Round table is a generational opportunity to rebuild values, transparency and of course set up the industry for the future growth in opportunities for jobs and businesses. As well as Industry and Environmental representation, it is imperative that community groups have a direct input and equal say at the Round Table.
Community groups are concerned about the long term resource management values that government, Forestry Tasmania and the industry must adopt; to minimise the adverse effects on communities as it faces the current position and as it changes to meet future opportunities and challenges. All Tasmanians must be able to benefit without favour from our forest and fibre plantation resources, and we should be assisting those who want to progress all types of businesses and enterprises.
The community is concerned that:
• The proposed Forestry Round Table include direct community input) must start by undertaking an audit of all the existing aspects; including financial, subsidies and support, forest management and practices, planning approvals of our forestry related resources and timber processing and manufacturing industry. It must establish what demand and type of opportunities are available for our forest resource and industries, in Tasmania and in the world wide market place. This will require far more skills and input than the forestry industry representatives and environmental groups can provide. Plus there must be a community input. Only then can the impact, benefit and the financial and business opportunities be evaluated, to successfully plan for the future. Without this holistic approach, the successful future and true sustainable growth of our forest related industries and the innovation potential of all Tasmanian will not be realised. Conflict will continue. This process could be undertaken and completed within 12 months.
• $2billion worth of processed timber is already being imported into Australia each year. It is cheaper to buy overseas timber from our local hardwood stores than local timber. Almost all processed timber products (ply, mdf, beams, flooring, doors and window frames) are supplied from imported processed timber. Why is this when our forestry and timber industry receives huge grants and subsidies?
• “Common ground” - legal, moral and for all benefits must be provided equally for all Tasmanians now and in the future.
• Complete revision of management practices of our forests, short and long term, to ensure true long term sustainability, in every respect.
• Establishment of an open tendering scheme for the use of all forest resources.
• Additional fibre and timber plantations must receive planning approval taking into account council and community concerns, viability of regional community and services, water resources, bio- diversity, smoke generation, road and traffic conditions protection of food production land and landscape values.
• Future Government and industry policy, all development proposals, management and work practices must be based upon the Equator Principles and Forest Stewardship Council guidelines.
• All Ministers, Government departments, government businesses and authorities, to establish a public register of all matters raised by the community. This would register concerns, questions and complaints, with answers provided within 30 days on the public register.
• Establishment of a register of all purchases, stock holding, usage and disposal of all hazardous chemicals to be held by users and the government.
• To ensure that the establishment of the Integrity Commission is not delayed or diluted in anyway.
If the Government, the industry and the environmental groups proceed with the Round Table without direct community input, then another generation of polarisation and opposition will certainly ensue.
Contact for comment - John Day
TAP Into A Better Tasmania said news today of Gunns Ltd’s 99 per cent profit slump will add further pain to workers throughout the Tasmanian woodchip industry, and worsen the plight of an already crippled sector.
It is now revealed that despite the best efforts of Tasmania’s Primary Industries Minister David Llewellyn, and the State Labor government, to sell woodchips cheaply, little has been achieved to alleviate timber workers’ job security and Gunns’ financial woes.
Gunns’ troubles will be compounded with the closures of its chip mills in Triabunna and Long Reach (Bell Bay) after Easter. (See ABC
‘Gunns have gambled the future of the company, and the livelihoods of all its employees, for a pulp mill pipedream’ said TAP spokesman, Bob McMahon.
‘Gunns has locked itself into an unsustainable woodchip mindset fed by the reckless dream of an unaffordable and unpopular mill’.
‘With only a $400,000 profit and share price at a 10-year low, Gunns would find it difficult to buy an average-priced home in Hobart, let alone be financially capable of building a $2.5 billion pulp mill,’ said Mr McMahon.
With vastly diminishing local jobs estimates, massive job shedding at Gunns, public subsidies in the hundreds of millions, and the enormous economic risk the project poses - not only to Gunns’ shareholders, but also to the wider Tasmanian economy - the pulp mill project must be put to death once and for all.
‘Why should innocent Tasmanians and our economy continue to be dragged along with this mess?’, said Mr McMahon.
‘Both the market and the public have lost confidence in Gunns. It is now in the grip of financial death throes, and only a miracle, or a massive subsidy from David Bartlett, can save Gunns now,’ he said.
Recent media reports have revealed Gunns’ financial problems include requiring public funds to pay for pulp mill pipeline infrastructure, being unable to find markets for its woodchip stockpiles, and a need for major redundancies to remain solvent.
Gunns’ shares peaked at $4.45 on 4 January 2005. Shares closed on Thursday 26th February 2010 at below 60 cents a share.
The safety of Launceston’s and the Tamar Valley’s drinking water is seriously compromised warns TAP Into A Better Tasmania.
‘If we could issue a HEALTH ALERT we would’, said TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon, ‘Every parent, every mother, should be worried about the water that their child is drinking and the water that they swim or bathe in.’
The program, ‘Australian Story’ (ABC TV), has revealed that serious health and cancer problems exist wherever monoculture eucalypt plantations are grown near drinking water catchments on the east coast. (See Something in the Water - Part 2 )
‘The water catchment for Launceston and the Tamar Valley is arguably the most degraded large catchment in the state. The siltation of the Tamar Basin is one symptom of that degradation’ said McMahon.
Launceston derives approximately 70% of its water from the St Patricks River, 20% from the North Esk and 10% from the South Esk. The West Tamar water is 100% sourced from the South Esk.
‘I estimate that roughly 50% of the upper catchments of all these rivers have been clear-felled and converted to e. nitens (Eucalypt) plantations, much of which was destined for the Gunns proposed pulp mill,’ stated Bob McMahon.
‘Given the preliminary findings by Dr Alison Bleaney and Dr Marcus Scammell of toxic contaminants in the Georges River derived from the plantation trees themselves, it is critical that a comprehensive independent scientific study be done of Launceston’s and the Tamar Valley’s water.’
The area of the Launceston catchment under plantations is much greater than the Georges River catchment.
It is no longer acceptable to pretend there is not a catastrophe in the making. If toxic water is found in the Launceston and Hobart catchments, apart from public health issues, it would also prove to be disastrous to the bottled water and beverage industry.
The potential loss of the ‘Brand Tasmania’ image could cost millions in lost revenue.
It is critically important that the councils in this valley claw back planning powers that have been abrogated by the state government and Forestry Tasmania.
A nation that cannot safeguard its water supplies is a nation hell bent on suicide,” concluded McMahon.
TAP Into A Better Tasmania calls on Minister for Infrastructure Graeme Sturges, to tell the Tasmanian community, especially those who live in the Tamar Valley, exactly what his Department knew in relation to the water pipeline for Gunns proposed pulp mill, and the Dilston Bypass.
‘The Department for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources has been prominent in its dealings with Gunns, providing a $240,000 gift from the public purse to the company for a pipeline culvert, and what appears to be another gift of compulsorily acquired land for its pipeline,’ said Bob McMahon, spokesman for TAP.
‘To date Minister Sturges has been conspicuous by his absence, but clearly there are some serious questions to be answered about this pipeline, and as the person responsible for his department he should not be shirking behind David Llewellyn,’ Mr McMahon said.
‘The pulp mill remains nothing more than a private company’s proposal, with no certainty of funding, yet Tasmanian taxpayers are being duped into paying for infrastructure for a non-existent and controversial project, when our roads, schools, hospitals and railway services are crumbling for lack of funds,’ he said.
Graeme Sturges met with Dilston residents and received a number of briefings about their concerns throughout last year.
Recent emails obtained under FOI highlight DIER’s complicity in the pulp mill pipeline, despite Premier David Bartlett declaring 18 months ago no further State Government support would be given to the pulp mill proposal.
DIER and mill supporters have previously denied links between the Dilston Bypass, and the water pipeline for the proposed pulp mill.
TAP Into A Better Tasmania today condemned the theft of private farmland through compulsory acquisition, to facilitate the construction of the water pipeline for Gunns Ltd’s proposed pulp mill.
Media reports today claim Gunns, and Department of Infrastructure and Energy Resources staff acting on behalf of Minister Graeme Sturges, have done secret deals for at least the past two years.
Gunns’ plan to run the pulp mill pipeline within an expanded easement, created at public expense, parallel to the Dilston Bypass and the East Tamar Highway.
This is despite assurances made by Premier David Bartlett in July 2008 that a ‘line in the sand’ had been drawn for Gunns’ proposed mill, and no further government assistance would be given to support the project.
‘Backdoor Backflip Bartlett’ has lived up to his name by saying one thing and doing another. When Gunns whistle, Bartlett jumps. In this case to provide a controversial pipeline across valuable farmland,’ said TAP spokesman Tony Saddington.
Plans to build the Dilston Bypass were heavily promoted by Liberal MP for Bass Peter Gutwein, Legislative Councillor for Windermere, and Launceston City Councillor Ivan Dean, and former federal MP for Bass Michael Ferguson, now a Liberal candidate for the March 20 State election. All support the controversial pulp mill proposal.
‘David Bartlett is on record stating no land will be compulsorily acquired for the pipeline. This is robbery by stealth, and it’s being financed by taxpayers because Gunns can’t afford to build it,’ said Mr Saddington.
‘Labor and Liberal plotted to corrupt the legislative process in the Tasmanian Parliament’ stated TAP Into A Better Tasmania spokesperson Bob McMahon.
‘And they succeeded.’
‘Despite many public statements accusing Gunns of substantially drafting its own legislation to assess its pulp mill (Pulp Mill Assessment Act 2007), the latest by Peter Cundall, neither Gunns nor its fellow travellers in the Labor Government and the Liberal Party have denied the accusation,’ asserted McMahon.
‘Their silence confirms their guilt.’
‘All these parties determined to effect a coup d’etat by conniving in the corruption of Parliament and the corruption of due process in Tasmania,’ asserted McMahon.
‘Gunns was to draft the legislation with passing reference to the public service to put a gloss of legitimacy upon it. It then shot through Parliament at the speed of light and came out the other end with a wholly predictable rubber stamp.’
‘For those who have wondered why the Pulp Mill Assessment Act is so obscenely favourable to Gunns, especially Section 11 which denies the public access to its own legal system for redress from pulp mill impacts, it is because they wrote it.’
‘Furthermore, prior to the Gunns wholly predictable withdrawal from the RPDC in March 2007, the full resources of the public service were made available to Gunns for the drafting of their proposed pulp mill Integrated Impact Statement and related work.’
‘Putting aside the legality of a government subverting public institutions for the benefit of a company, at what cost to the Tasmanian public did those hundreds, perhaps thousands of working hours devoted to supporting the Gunns’ bottom line come?’ asked McMahon.
‘We are going through a tragic time in the history of Tasmania and it is only possible to press the restart button if the PMAA is repealed. The stench of corruption surrounds that document like road kill on a hot day,’ concluded McMahon.
In the lead up to the State election, TAP will target those politicians who were party to the subversion of parliament and the legislative process. TAP’s aim is to force politicians to answer for their corrupt actions.
“Highly confidential information was made available to TAP on the evening of November 10th,” stated TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon.
“The information throws up the following serious questions,” continued McMahon.
Why has Bartlett allowed work to begin on the pulp mill site when permit concerns were raised with the EPA last July?
TAP Into A Better Tasmania expressed outrage today that community concerns have again been disregarded by Tasmania's State Government.
Questions about the permit conditions for Gunns Ltd's proposed Pulp Mill were raised with the Environmental Protection Authority over three months ago, but continue to remain largely unacknowledged by David Bartlett.
The legality of land clearance beyond the permit deadlines has also been criticised by members of the University of Tasmania's Law Faculty.
"The clearing of vegetation from the mill site began in early August, and concerns were immediately expressed to the EPA, and to several key government ministers, querying the legality of the work. We are furious that despite loud warning bells, no-one was listening" said TAP spokesman Tony Saddington.
"We have concerns that site work carried out by Gunns would contravene the Pulp Mill Assessment Act, given that Gunns have cleared vegetation without the necessary permits. David Bartlett has allowed destructive land clearing to take place while ignoring the community's concerns, and with no suggestion Gunns should have penalties imposed for breaching permit conditions," he continued.
TAP said the Government should have called for an immediate suspension of work at the Long Reach site until questions relating to permit issues had been addressed.
"David Bartlett is repeating the errors of his predecessor Paul Lennon in allowing expired permits to be revived through a fast-tracked extension. That Gunns have failed to attract finance, or the interest of a Joint Venture Partner is clearly shown by David Bartlett's cynical extension of the time frame to 2011. But his decision has condemned Tamar Valley residents to a further two years of uncertainty and despair.
"If government arrogance and lack of adherence to proper process is what the community can look forward to, then our fears about this project would seem to be entirely justified. And the iniquitous PMAA prevents any right of appeal by any individual or business should the mill cause any harm whatsoever to their health or livelihoods," said Mr Saddington.
TAP is still waiting for answers to questions asked of senior ministers in relation to this issue.
TAP condemned the decision by David Bartlett's government in extending permit conditions for the proposed Gunns' Pulp mill by a further 2 years.
David Bartlett promised Tasmanians an end to the pulp mill uncertainty by Christmas last year, and suddenly with the permits expired, the ALP is now in the process of fast tracking legislation that will continue division in the community for a further 2 years said a TAP spokesman.
"We have fought against this mill for 5 years in order to keep local jobs in the Tamar valley. David Bartlett has now ensured that the community will continue the fight to protect its health, jobs and livelihood" he continued.
"We will not give up. Any potential partner, buys into extremely strong community opposition."
“A witness has reported to TAP that the graffiti on John Gay’s property was composed of some squiggles and a drawing of a penis. We have no information about the alleged ‘smoke bomb’, TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon said today.
“It was entirely predictable from past performances that fingers would be pointed at the anti-pulp mill community organization TAP, for the alleged ‘attack’ on John Gay’s house”, he said.
“And how self-serving for pulp mill supporters to do so.
“We live in a very divided community and we do well to ask ourselves how this came about and who is responsible?” he continued.
“The State Government and its proxy, Gunns Ltd, have deliberately ignored community concerns about the impact of the proposed mill on jobs, health and investments in the Tamar Valley and throughout Tasmania.
“This is toxic to community cohesion”, he said.
“In addition, the State Government in collusion with Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Ltd, has continued to operate and subsidise at public expense an outmoded monopolistic forest industry that has forced forest contractors out of business and Gunns employees onto the scrap heap.
“It’s a great credit to Tasmanians that given all the hurt and provocation they have largely avoided violence and damage to property and have not lowered themselves to the standards of the State Government and certain other players”, Mr McMahon said.
When 1pm Wednesday 19 December
Where George Town Council offices, 16 Anne St George Town.
The agenda includes the motions passed at the 27 November pulp mill public meeting and also details of the pulp mill elector poll. Unlike the 11 December council AGM, public questions period will be limited to thirty minutes.
It appears that Gunns will address the George Town Council in a closed meeting of the council the day before, on Tuesday 18 December.
When:6pm Tuesday 11th December. Perhaps get there by 5:45PM to be sure of getting in the door.
Where : George Town Council offices 16 Anne St George Town (i.e. same place as the ordinary monthly council meetings).
If you are a George Town Municipality elector, we think it would be very advantageous for you to attend the George Town Council annual general meeting where you will be able to voice your opinion and if you want, hand in a submission on the day.
We realise the meeting hasn't been advertised as widely as many electors would expect (i.e. in fact not very much at all).
TAP succeeded in increasing the number of anti mill councilors on three councils at the expense of pro mill candidates in October 2007 elections.
Launceston City Council
Of the 7 Aldermen elected to the LCC, Norton, Shipp, Ball and Nott were endorsed by the Voter's Block for being anti-mill. Jeremy Ball tripled his primary vote from last time. The others elected were Waddle, Peck and Dean. Waddle and Peck had reduced no 1 votes and only got in with preferences.
TAP Voter's Block endorsed Mayoral candidate (van Zetten) got up, as did the TAP endorsed Deputy Mayoral candidate (Armitage). There were two anti-mill mayoral candidates and their combined vote completely trounced pro-mill Ivan Dean 61% to 39%. The balance in the LCC has definitely shifted with a majority against the mill.
Public meeting to discuss the impact of the proposed pulp mill.
The meeting was called as the result of a rate payer petition.
Where: George Town Memorial Hall
Submissions: the Council will receive written submissions for or against the issue up to 5pm Wednesday 21 November
Email submissions to kayee@georgetown.tas.gov.au
Mail submissions to: General Manager, George Town Council, PO Box 161 George Town 7253
Report by Independent MLC Ruth Forrest following visit to the Nueva Aldea Mill in Chile, South America.
Ruth Forrest took 24 hours out of the official pulp mill tour to independently speak to local fishermen, wine growers and others near the Nueva Aldea pulp mill. Her report highlights significant differences between the official company view and what is happening on the ground to the local population.
Download Ruth Forrest’s report below.
Legislative Council
Michael Aird
Level 9 15 Murray Street Hobart 7000.
Kerry Finch
One Civic Square Launceston 7250.
Ivan Dean
One Civic Square Launceston 7250.
Ruth Forrest
PO Box 104 Wynyard 7325.
Greg Hall
PO Box 361 Deloraine 7304.
Paul Harriss
Parliament House Hobart 7000.
Norma Jamieson
Shop 3 Lauriston Arcade 126 Best Street Devonport 7310.
Terry Martin
353A Main Road Glenorchy 7010.
Doug Parkinson
Parliament House Hobart 7000.
Tania Rattray-Wagner
16c King Street Scottsdale 7260.
Sue Smith
PO Box 179 Ulverstone 7315.
Allison Ritchie
Suite 3/90 Clarence Street Bellerive, 7018.
Download submissions made to the Launceston City Council by rate payers re the proposed pulp mill for the June 07 meeting at the Albert Hall, Launceston. Note the large size of the file (1.93 mb).
TAP is a non-party political movement. Voters who have added their names to the Voters Block have pledged not to vote for a local, state or federal candidates who support Gunns proposed pulp mill in the Tamar valley. The Voters Block has over 23 700 names and has surpassed the original target of 22 000. The number is growing daily and the new target is 28 000. Send an email to tapcontact@gmail.com for further information about the Voters Block.
