Environment
The tick
ABC Online
The Commonwealth has made a draft decision to approve Gunns’ controversial pulp mill proposal for Northern Tasmania.
Malcolm Turnbull’s letter, where to comment …
Tamar Valley Pulp Mill Proposal
One of the most contentious issues before me for decision has been the proposal by Gunns Ltd to build a pulp mill on the Tamar River near Launceston. The proposal gives rise to a number of important environmental issues, although only a minority of them are under Federal jurisdiction by reason of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). As is usually the case, for some time the assessment of both the State and Federal environmental issues were proceeding under a bilateral process, in this case via the Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC) of the Tasmanian State Government.
Earlier this year, Gunns Ltd withdrew from that process and the Tasmanian Premier, Mr Lennon, decided to proceed with a different assessment process which involved an expert consultant’s report (Sweco Pik) followed by a vote on the mill to be held by the Tasmanian State Parliament at the end of this month. I was very disappointed with that decision and resolved not to continue with any bilateral process and instead to proceed to consider the Federal issues under our own legislation.
I am very concerned to ensure that there is as much transparency in my decision making as possible. Accordingly we have provided ample opportunity for public comments on the project to be heard and considered in the course of this year and the Federal Court recently concluded that our process was entirely in accordance with the legislation: (HERE ).
My Department has recommended to me a form of approval for the mill and a set of stringent conditions relating to the federal issues, the most publicly contentious of which is the impact of the effluent on the Commonwealth marine environment. I have decided to publish these recommendations as a draft decision and under s. 131A of the EPBC Act invite public comments on the draft decision for ten business days. I have also invited the Chief Scientist of Australia, Dr Jim Peacock AC, to give me his independent advice on the draft decisions and he will do so, assisted by an expert panel of scientists.
Following the period for public comment my Department and I will consider the input received as will the Chief Scientist. I will receive advice from the Department and from the Chief Scientist and then I will make a final decision.
A media release explaining this course of action in more detail is HERE. on my website and the entirety of the draft decision, conditions and supporting documentation is on the Environment Department website HERE . If you have difficulty finding that link, you can get there from the home page http://www.environment.gov.au/
The Tasmanian Government’s hamfisted handling of this matter has undoubtedly eroded the trust of the Tasmanian people in the process of assessment and this is very regrettable. It is why I have chosen to proceed to assess the federal issues under our own process which is giving ample opportunity, consistent with the Act, for public input. As you will see if you read the draft material presented my Department has carefully taken into account the views of all parties including Gunns Ltd and those critical of the Mill. We have sought advice from independent experts on a range of issues including the possibility of recycling water used on the site.
This is a complex issue and if you are interested in it, I would urge you to carefully read the material on the Environment Department website and if you wish, send your comments to the addresses listed there.
Yours sincerely
Malcolm Turnbull