A contribution from Imre which’ll lighten things up a bit, except for those contributors with a permanent humour by-pass:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15809876%255E37556,00.html

And,

http://www.smh.com.au/news/heckler/a-bother-for-the-bookish/2005/07/07/1120704490610.html

LC
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Cock-up or Conspiracy? That’s the question!
According to the List website the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area has mostly
vanished! Gone! Isn’t that convenient?!? Does this mean the pollies avoid a potentially politically painful vote on revoking what now seems to no onger exist?

The government’s own reports classifies the Ralphs Bay mudflats as “high conservation value” partly because they are important for water quality maintenance, among other environmental and economic factors. So if you
are going to “fix” an error why not “fix” it the right way and re-establish the
conservation area “as-was”?!?!?

Australia’s newest billionaire, Lang Walker (BRW – “Billionaire Boom”), obviously has the dosh to pay for the best and brightest … too bad the same can’t be said about the Lennon ministry!

Wonder if Lara (Giddings) is sweating yet?

Albert M. Dollar
Hobart, Tasmania
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Giving thanks
Do not rely on the people who bully, sneak and rubbish the State of Tasmania and its inhabitants.

We really should give thanks that there are people in our midst that truly care about us, our children and the health and wellbeing of our community.

These champions of the community have brought another document to light concerning the proposed pulp mill.

Our leaders have snuck through a document that gives the proposed pulp mill an exemption from the Environment Protection Policy 2004 (in force as of 1st July 2005) when it comes to emissions such as Hydrogen Sulphide.

If you enjoy your clean air, savour it while you can, because if this dirty pulp mill is built all you can look forward to is the smell of so called “rotten egg gas”.

Our Government and the Opposition lending full support to what will be a disaster for all.

As the Tamar Residents Action committee says:

PRESS RELEASE 4-7-05

GOVERNMENT CLEARS THE WAY FOR A “REAL STINKER”.

The Tamar Residents Action Committee (TRAC) claims the State Government is clearing the obstacles for Gunns Ltd’s planned pulp mill at Longreach to “stink-up” the Tamar Valley.

ItsEnvironment Protection Policy (Air Quality) 2004 came into effect on June the 1st this year, and the government has exempted any Eucalypt Kraft pulp mill from the regulations governing the two specific gases, that produce the “rotten egg” gas smell.

The Air Quality Act sets emission limits from the stacks of industry and sets out a table of the maximum emissions allowed for specific chemicals.

TRAC coordinator Mr.Les Rochester said Hydrogen Sulphide and Methyl Mercaptan are the two sinister gases that are generated from pulp mills. They’re the ones that create that putrid smell associated with pulp mill towns. “”Not only do they smell, but they are in the top 10% of hazardous chemicals in the world because of their effects on the respiratory system.

“Here we have in Tasmania, a government that says we’ll exempt the pulp mill from these regulations because we know they’re going to produce large amounts of “rotten egg” gas.

“Where is this government’s duty of care to its people, when will it put the health and wellbeing of its people ahead of big business,” Mr.Rochester said.

Mr.Rochester said every time an individual or group investigates this pulp mill and the process, a snake slithers out from under the rock.

“There’s just too much secrecy and sleight of hand going on with this whole project, people are not amused, they’re damn right angry now,” he concluded.

And,

PRESS RELEASE
4-7-05

GOVERNMENT “SNOW JOB” OVER ITS AIR QUALITY POLICY.

The Tamar Residents Action Committee (TRAC) claims the state government is attempting a ‘snow job’ on Tasmanians over its decision to exempt “rotten egg” gas chemicals from Gunns Ltd’s pulp mill, in its new Air Quality Policy 2004.

Infrastructure Minister Mr.Bryan Green said tonight that the pulp mill proposal will be appraised by the world’s toughest environmental guidelines.

TRAC coordinator Mr.Les Rochester said if that is the case why does the Air Quality Policy which came into effect last month, exempt the two gases that cause such a stench.

“There is a perception in the community that this government is hell bent on getting this mill across the line, and it doesn’t matter what the cost to the community’s health.

“The Air Quality Policy 2004 clearly states that Bleached Eucalypt Kraft Pulp Mills are exempt from the regulations and emission limits for Hydrogen Sulphide and Methyl Mercaptan.

“These are the government’s own words, these are the government’s own regulations, don’t they know what they have in their own documents?

Surely, if this process was as transparent as the Premier continually states, then surely those two rancid smelling chemical compounds, should have been covered by the Air Quality Policy,” Mr.Rochester said.

TRAC and the people of Tasmania ask the government to explain why those two chemicals were exempt from the policy, not hand pass it on to another process such as the RPDC and then put the smoke screen up.

“The people deserve a direct answer,” Mr.Rochester concluded.

And, another thing:

When will the State Government and Gunns come clean with the people of Tasmania and tell us where they will obtain the water from for the proposed pulp mill?

With fresh water levels at less than 23% and an overworked Bell Bay power station burning gas like there is no tomorrow, the power authority is already looking at rationing in Tasmania.

What will this mean for the proposed pulp mill?

Where will they find 26 billion litres of fresh water to quench the thirst of this guzzler? The trickle that is Piper’s River?

Perhaps they will fetch it from the tailrace outlet at Trevallyn? What about Ringarooma? Perhaps a nuclear powered desalination plant on the Tamar would do the trick?

A pulp mill that uses an obscene amount of fresh water would be a national disgrace.

We have been bombarded with advertising that tells us that “every drop counts”. All I can count is 26,000,000,000 litres given to an unquenchable pulp mill each and every year, while many Tasmanians don’t even have the luxury of fresh clean water!

Dave Groves