Geoff Law Wilderness Society MR
“The pulp mill has become the major project that dare not speak its name,” said Mr Law. “Today’s Budget is another nail in its coffin.”
MEDIA RELEASE 12 June 2008
PULP MILL – BARTLETT CUTS SUPPLY
No public funds for pipeline, road interchange or wharf
In a move welcomed by the Wilderness Society, the State Budget has cut off significant public funds for Gunns’ proposed pulp mill.
“The pipeline of taxpayer dollars to Gunns’ proposed pulp mill has been blocked,” said Wilderness Society Campaign Manager, Geoff Law. “There’s no provision in the Budget for the pipeline, for the wharf or for the road interchange.”
“A $12-million grant for an interchange on the East Tamar Highway to service the pulp mill was in earlier drafts of the Budget two weeks ago. Its demise is evidence that Mr Bartlett is keeping to his pledge not to provide direct finance to the pulp mill.”
In the Treasurer’s speech to Parliament, the pulp mill was not mentioned.
“The pulp mill has become the major project that dare not speak its name,” said Mr Law. “Today’s Budget is another nail in its coffin.”
However, Mr Law said that the provision of $23 million for a ‘tourist road’ through the Tarkine rainforests was disturbing, destructive and provocative. The road, to be built by Forestry Tasmania, would cut through significant tracts of untouched rainforest.
“In March, the Tarkine rainforests were close to being incinerated by a fire that started on another poorly conceived tourist road in the Tarkine that was built in 1995,” said Mr Law. “It’s less than three months after the vegetation stopped smouldering and now the government wants to build another road.”
“The proposal to hack a Forestry Tasmania road through the Tarkine rainforests is clearly a legacy of former Premier Paul Lennon and his top bureaucrat Evan Rolley. It should be axed.”
Geoff Law
Campaign Coordinator
Hobart Campaign Centre
The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc
www.wilderness.org.au
