Other uses for the mill budget

John Reeves

4. $100 million into testing and land acquisition for alternative pulp products such as Hemp and flax. It is intended that available farmlands can be use for the growth of renewable pulp products and that this will result in increased employment opportunities and much stronger sustainability that wood based pulp.

Tasmanian members of SCUM (the State Civilian Underground Movement) have recently uncovered a discarded memo between Gunns research division and the office of the Environment Minister for the Tasmanian Government.

This memo was uncovered at the Hobart council rubbish tip and indicates that an alternative use for the $1.5 billion budget has been mooted and rejected by both Gunns and the Lennon administration.

Notes attached to the memo outline proposed alternate funding to establish various resource based projects plus a brief outline on how this proposed use of the funding could result in more available jobs, compliance with the Environmental Protection acts and establishes long term renewable industries that would give a greater ‘bang for buck’ in terms of the long term benefit to Tasmanians with regards to growth and ’21st century’ business opportunities.

The key motives behind the proposed projects are self sufficiency replacing export dependency, sustainability of natural resources replacing exploitation and long term growth of both these motivations. The memo also states that that seeing it is unlikely the proposed mill site will pass stringent environmental guidelines and it also unlikely that access to bulk chip wood from old growth forests will continue and that this is a valuable opportunity to relocate the targeting of the available funds and provide both Gunns Ltd and the Tasmanian people with a much better return that will be to the benefit of all Tasmanians and put Tasmania on the map as a state that is genuine about long term employment via sustainable and renewable business practices.

An outline of the proposed budget and projects that could be funded is listed below.

$1.5 billion for pulp mill …Equal investment of those funds in renewable industries ensuring long term job prospects for Tasmanians …

1. $400 million seed investment into wind generator production plant. This includes a feasibility study, research and development, training, production plant design and construction. This is to take advantage of the growth in wind generator needs worldwide and position Tasmania as a Leader in harnessing this technology. A tentative name for this project is Taswind. (This will provide a production facility for the existing Roaring Forties project)

2. $300 million into smaller scale pulp mill for Tasmanian only paper production (non export) including recycling plant. This will take advantage of our existing plantation resources, alternate pulp production and seek to supply all of Tasmania’s paper needs thus reducing our dependence on importing paper resources. A tentative name for this project is Taspaper.

3. $200 million in the development of a biodiesel production facility using Tasmania grown rapeseed and other vegetable oils.

4. $100 million into testing and land acquisition for alternative pulp products such as Hemp and flax. It is intended that available farmlands can be use for the growth of renewable pulp products and that this will result in increased employment opportunities and much stronger sustainability that wood based pulp.

A tentative name for this project is Taspulp.

5. $50 million for purchase of lands and planting of truffles to ensure future income and employment. The alternative crop market has grown rapidly in recent years and Truffles are a low investment/high return crop and it is possible that investment in this area could have stronger economic yields than other land use options.

Whilst there are existing Tasmanian Truffle companies this one would be publicly owned and the tentative name is Tastruffles.

6. $25 million into Tasmanian self sufficiency industries, that is Tasmanians supplying Tasmanian markets ensuring jobs and income for Tasmanians.

This initiative is to fully research and develop planning and management practices based around the concept of limiting imports and increasing Tasmanian generated products. It is foreseen that this kind of planning will result in much stronger employment prospects for Tasmanians in the long term. The resources indicated in this are household supplies, clothing supplies building supplies, home wares and other commonly used items. Tentativley titled Tasself.

7. $300 million for land acquisition and replanting of cleared lands with multi species plantations. This is intended to maximise use of current cleared lands, provide lands for regeneration and alternative crop allocations and in general make better use of lands that have been cleared since settlement. Tentatively titled Tasland.

8. $10 million into broad-scale feasibility study and planning documents for a ‘whole ‘Tasmania’. That is an integrated approach to the various needs of our society that put the needs of Tasmanians and our environment first.

9. $ 100 million towards the setup of a Tasmanian food based management and production companies that will seek to ensure that a maximum of Tasmanians food needs are supplied from within the state, limiting imports, generating income and make self sufficiency the priority of Tasmanian production not income generations.

This project will work along the taself sufficiency initiative but add focus purely on the supply of food to tasmanians. Tentativley called Tasfood.

10. $15 million For marketing and promotion of these initiatives.

*it is proposed that an equal amount could also be raised by allowing public investment in these projects by Tasmanian owned companies and individuals.

It was reported by SCUM that the memo had a red cross through it in red marker and was obscurely initialled PL.

John Reeves is a Writer, Poet, Musician, multimedia practitioner and recently a woodworker with over 25 years expereince in most these > practices. He has a strong interest in social justice issues, absurdist humour and the prospect of genuine alternatives in our society. He is married with a 15 year old son and another on the way.