THE shield above the stage at Launceston’s Albert Hall echoed the call of all speakers at the anti pulp mill rally.
“Progress with prudence,” it read as the eyes of the two Tasmanian tigers on the emblem stared down forlornly at the crowd.
It seemed to me quite appropriate that the tigers were wrapped in chain as these once proud animals are now extinct. Their demise was assured when a ten-pound bounty for every animal killed was enacted by the then State Government that thought it was doing the right thing.
Despite inclement weather and a last minute change of venue Albert Hall management estimated there were 2500 people at the rally.
Mums and dads, the elderly and children filled the hall to the rafters.
Especially telling was that these people were there of their own accord.
Unlike the crowd supplied by John Gay and the CFMEU during the last Federal Election campaign when their employers paid them to attend.
Les Rochester told the audience that it wasn’t TRAC pedaling misinformation about the pulp mill.
“All of our information is sourced directly from either Gunn’s, Pulp Mill Taskforce, RPDC or scientific studies,” Mr Rochester said.
Mayor Dean: Can I get back to you in writing
“In many instances these are Gunn’s own words, so I don’t know what they are complaining about.”
Mr Rochester cited a recent meeting of the Launceston City Council when Mayor Ivan Dean claimed the anti mill lobby was spreading misleading information about the project.
When Jeremy Ball queried Mr Dean and asked him to supply an example Mr Dean replied.
“I can’t recall one, can I get back to you in writing?”
Thunderous laughter from 2500 people filled the hall.
Mr Rochester also said the completed mill would only employ 220 staff according to the information he had.
“I had a bit of a look around and couldn’t find too many industrial chemists or chemical engineers seeking employment in Tasmania.
“So where are they going to come from?”
The next speaker, Dr Tony McCall from the University of Tasmania, asked the gathering to close their eyes and think of October 2004.
“Remember this hall filled with forestry workers cheering John Howard and John Gay,” Dr McCall said.
“While I applaud Gunn’s Limited for moving into the wine industry and their contribution to the State’s economy, I implore them not to go ahead with this mill.
“What is being proposed is an industrial museum, which is at the bottom end of the value adding chain.
“I have tried to talk to Gunn’s and the State Government and they just don’t want to know about it.”
Dr McCall said it was impossible for a Tasmanian bleached kraft eucalypt pulp mill to compete with existing mills in Chile, Brazil and planned Chinese mills.
“This is such a 1960s mentality and they can’t see past it as it’s the only thing they know,” Dr McCall said.
Focus on niche markets
Dr McCall held up Ashgrove Cheeses and Rex Heathcote Furniture as examples of how Tasmanian businesses could compete internationally.
“We need to focus on niche markets and quality products in addition to the Tasmanian brand name,” Dr McCall said.
The final speaker, Mr Shaun Cadman from the Wilderness Society, said the proposed mill wouldn’t be fed with Gunns plantations as they planned to continue with their export contracts.
“They,(Gunns), want to convert large tracts of State forest to plantations with a probable 25 year turnaround,” Mr Cadman claimed.
“If that happens it would be a disaster for many species, in particular the wedge-tailed eagle, and would also decimate an areas biodiversity.
“This pulp mill is the final solution for Forestry Tasmania.”
Wes Young was a Cadet Journalist with The Examiner
