Power of the Voters’ Block

Buck and Joan Emberg

Over 7,000 people who have signed the Voters’ Block live in Bass and 5,000 live in Lyons. Today meetings are being held to assign preferences. It is anticipated that both Labor and Liberal candidates will receive last and second last preference votes in all 5 federal seats. It is also anticipated that whoever TAP alocates last place will be defeated.There are no party choices for TAP but the Greens will probably benefit the most as they are the only party that has come out against the pulp mill.
JOAN AND BUCK EMBERG are co-chairs of the Voters’ Block of TAP (Tasmanians Against the Pulp Mill). The Voters’ Block states that those who sign the document will “Not vote for any politician who voted for the Pulp Mill.”

There are now 13,000 people who have signed this declaration. Most live in N. Tasmania and all are angry with the Labor government, the Liberals’ non-opposition and Gunns, the pulp mill advocate.

The first test for TAP was the recent Launceston City election. Before the vote the council numbered 7 for the mill and 5 against. After the election, with various politicians knocked out and others elected, the count is: 5 for the mill and 7 against. This new majority is also strong on environmental questions and the burning problems of water and farm land acquistion by Gunns which they will turn into plantations for the pulp mill. Other anti pulp mill candidates won in George Town and and the West Tamar Council. The VB proved to be decisive.

Over 50% of the people in the Tamar Valley are against the mill being sited in the Launceston/George Town area.

Over 7,000 people who have signed the Voters’ Block live in Bass and 5,000 live in Lyons. Today meetings are being held to assign preferences. It is anticipated that both Labor and Liberal candidates will receive last and second last preference votes in all 5 federal seats. It is also anticipated that whoever TAP alocates last place will be defeated.There are no party choices for TAP but the Greens will probably benefit the most as they are the only party that has come out against the pulp mill.

The discipline of the members of the Voters’ Block and TAP will be tested to see if they are a rising political entity. It appears at this point that they are. How much remains to be seen.

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