Love This Valley
This bloody circus of a Pulp Mill is already and will continue to cause for at least another six years a huge devastating level of emotional, financial and personal lasting grief and stress in the community. Imagine not being able to sell your property when you simply can not afford even 80% of the mortgage payments, or you have to sell because of ill health- want to retire to a smaller property – have to sell so you can afford to go into care – have to sell to relocate – have to sell because of so many life time occurrences. I estimate approximately 1,200 properties and families are directly affected. 1,200 properties if 30% is lost (already) across the board, if the average value is $300,000 – that a $108,000,000 loss already to the residents and the community. This is just one adverse aspect that the Lennon government, and those that have supported them, have excluded from the RPDC process.
We all know how this came about; collusion, corruption and greed.
FAMILIES opposite and within 10 kilometres of Longreach site can not sell their properties or businesses. The situation has continued to deteriorate over the last two years with no end in sight. While the company struggles with the job of submitting operational and environmental license submissions, as well as securing financial backing for this monstrous project. The community is facing financial, emotional and personal hardship – which is causing desperation and making the community angry.
Families cannot sell their properties because potential purchasers do not want to live next to, or see, or smell a Bloody Pulp Mill. Who would want to have their river and rural views completely spoilt 24 x 7 x 52 by a massive 17 story industrial building with a number of stacks sticking up, one of which is 130 metres high? Who would want their great river and rural views spoilt from their decks, verandahs and patios on a beautiful crisp morning or during a beautiful evening or night by massive visual and light pollution?
It will be like living next to an oil refinery.
More particularly, many families are facing increasing and urgent financial stress. In addition through ill health and for some, due to changes in family or work circumstances including relationship breakdowns they just can not sell their properties. Families who want to sell their property to up or down size, to relocate, to retire, to take up a new career else where, or simply change properties – can not because prospective purchasers do not want to live next too, or see, or smell a Bloody Pulp Mill. This circus to build a Bloody Pulp Mill has stopped a large and increasing number of families in their tracks and is causing real ongoing emotional and financial stress, with no end in sight.
Last weekend I drove along the 7.5 kilometers of Deviot Road, West Tamar – I counted 33 real estate agents For Sale signs; Rowella and Sidmouth were in a similar situation. People can not sell their properties even for 30% less than the normal expected price- prices similar to surrounding and comparable areas. People have had their properties listed with three real estate agents – one after the other for 18 months – with very few inquires or inspections and no offers at any price. This is a disaster and is causing the community and families a huge amount of stress.
The following graph illustrates and proves that the Rowella / Sidmouth / Kayena / Deviot community is under a huge imposition – even before the Bloody Pulp Mill is built. The data for the graph can be found in the State Government records (The List) for residential properties (only) recorded as sold for each of the last seven years. By using the actual number of residential properties actually sold: rather than sold value of the properties – this excludes the influence of the normal changes in the annual mix of property types sold and the changing property values over the period. The graph shows the number of properties sold in 2002 expressed as a base of 100%; this year being before the property boom in 2003. The number of properties sold in each of the subsequent years is expressed as a percentage of the year 2002.
The graph clearly shows that after the real estate boom in 2003, Launceston City, and the Beaconsfield / Beauty Point area, plus the Legana / Rosevears / Gravelly Beach areas have by the end of 2007 all recovered to approximately 78% of the pre-boom level. However the Rowella / Sidmouth / Kayena / Deviot area has continued a steady fall to 43% of the pre-boom level. Clearly being on the West Tamar within 10 kilometers of the Proposed Bloody Pulp Mill site has not done these property owners any favors. Clearly prospective purchasers have made their minds up and do not want to live next to a Pulp Mill
The residents in the Rowella / Sidmouth / Kayena / Deviot area are under huge constraints, financial stress and emotional pain compared with other West Tamar residents. Imagine yourself in their circumstances:-
• You have not been able to sell your house in the last three years even with a 30% reduction in the offered price. ( a total of 3 Years)
• Gunn’s Limited still have not given the go ahead for the project, will residents have to wait another year? Another year of indecision? ( then a total of 4 Years)
• Even if the project goes ahead then Gunn’s Limited says that there is three year construction period. Another three years of not being able to sell your property? ( then a total of 7 Years)
• Even if it is built, no resident, organization or entity can take legal action against the company for a further period of two years – and then the company IF asked by the state government has a further two years to employ “independent” consultants to advise them (only) of appropriate corrective action. Remember Paul Lennon’s Labor government with the support of the Liberal opposition party EXCLUDED “odorous emissions from pulp mills” from the Tasmanian Air Quality Act. So residents have another two to four years of not being able to sell their property if prospective purchasers do not want to live next too or see, or smell a Bloody Pulp Mill. ( now a possibility of 9 to 11 years )
This Bloody circus of a Pulp Mill is already and will continue to cause for at least another six years a huge devastating level of emotional, financial and personal lasting grief and stress in the community. Imagine not being able to sell your property when you simply can not afford even 80% of the mortgage payments, or you have to sell because of ill health- want to retire to a smaller property – have to sell so you can afford to go into care – have to sell to relocate – have to sell because of so many life time occurrences. I estimate approximately 1,200 properties and families are directly affected. 1,200 properties if 30% is lost (already) across the board, if the average value is $300,000 – that a $108,000,000 loss already to the residents and the community. This is just one adverse aspect that the Lennon government, and those that have supported them, have excluded from the RPDC process.
We all know how this came about; collusion, corruption and greed.
All Tasmanians should now demand that –
• Gunn’s Limited is given a final two month dead line to formally retract and stop the project.
• Gunn’s Limited is forced to offer immediate compensation to all property Owners within 10 Kilometers of the proposed site, if the project proceeds.
• Local Council openly supports by direct representation to the Government and the company a two month deadline and a compensation package for land owners in the area.
• Local Council openly supports by direct representation a re-evaluation of the ratable value of properties within 10 kilometers of the proposed site.
Demands must be made now by – picking up the phone and calling all of your elected representatives now (don’t get off until you have formally registered a complaint and secured a personnel response) – by emailing every Politician your concerns – by demanding a revaluation of the ratable value of your property – by personally attending your next Local Council meeting and raising the issue– making an appointment with the General Manager of the Examiner and demanding that he address this issue and more.
Take two hours off work or retirement; there are at least 10 politicians’ offices in Launceston all within walking distance of each other, next week take another hour off and visit the West Tamar Council offices and register your concern and make an appointment to meet the Councilors and OR go to the Examiner office and make an appointment with the General Manager to register your concerns and the need for some investigative reporting. Spend $50 get your solicitor to advise Gunn’s Limited and the State Government in writing that you, your family, your family relations are suffering now and ask for compensation.
We are letting these guys off to easy, if you can not sell your property because someone is causing you, your family, your family relations, and or your friends harm raise hell now – it’s your community, it’s your Tasmania.
Love this Valley
Rowella.
