A Taste-less decision

Helen Burnet Press Release

“If visitors to this year’s Taste drink Tamar Ridge wines, are they going to think about the impacts of Tamar Ridge’s parent company Gunns Limited on Tasmania’s wildlife, on the limitations recently on freedom of speech, of tarnishing Tasmania’s clean, green image, or of accelerating global warming? Or perhaps people will be thinking of the impact this sort of company will have on smaller businesses when their local vineyards are taken over by Gunns.

HOBART City Council and Tamar Ridge were in the sights of Greens Alderman Helen Burnet (Fri, Dec 29). Ald Burnet chose the opening of the gates of the Taste to launch into the sponsorship deal of this year’s Taste of Tasmania with Gunns-owned subsidiary company Tamar Ridge.

“Not only is this a poor decision by Council in entering into this sponsorship deal, but it is also a chance for deep reflection on the Taste”, Ald Burnet said.

According to Ald Burnet, “Ever since its inception, the Taste of Tasmania has been about showcasing Tasmania’s clean green image. Unfortunately this year, the Hobart City Council has made a terrible decision in accepting a Gunns’ subsidiary as the principal sponsor of such an iconic and important event. Gunns are despised for their practices of logging old-growth forests, the plan for a polluting pulp mill in the Tamar Valley and their pursuit to erode free speech through their civil action against forest protestors.”

In recognition of the Hobart City Council’s alliance with Tamar Ridge, Ald Burnet today presented a number of gold medal awards, in a mock ceremony. The Medals included: ‘Gold Medal — Forest Destroyer’ ‘Gold Medal — Increasing Global Warming’ ‘Gold Medal — Harming Free Speech’ ‘Gold Medal — Tarnishing Tassie’s Clean Green Image’ and ‘Gold Medal — Wildlife Destroyer’

“If visitors to this year’s Taste drink Tamar Ridge wines, are they going to think about the impacts of Tamar Ridge’s parent company Gunns Limited on Tasmania’s wildlife, on the limitations recently on freedom of speech, of tarnishing Tasmania’s clean, green image, or of accelerating global warming? Or perhaps people will be thinking of the impact this sort of company will have on smaller businesses when their local vineyards are taken over by Gunns.

“Perhaps they will. But these are some of the reasons why I choose to support the small wineries at this year’s Taste”, Ald Burnet said.

“This ill-conceived move of Council to accept sponsorship money for the Taste and Summer Festival from Gunns-owned Tamar Ridge really suggests that the Council should properly fund this event so important to this city. It is so symbolic at this time of the year, with the festivities around the finish of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, and needs the appropriate funding to ensure that it not only survives but thrives.

She finished by saying, “The Greens would like to see that this sponsorship deal between Tamar Ridge and Hobart City Council does not continue beyond this year.”