Pulp mill opponents try to scale PM’s firewall

Kate Hannon Canberra Times

What does it take to get the Prime Minister’s attention these days?

After months of fruitless attempts to communicate concerns about Tasmania’s proposed $2 billion pulp mill, activists decided there was only one way to get through the ”firewall” of minders. Write to Kevin Rudd in mandarin. A letter written in classical mandarin calligraphy was sent by priority post to Mr Rudd on June 2 by Tasmanians Against the Pulp mill, or TAP as it is known. Chief among its concerns was a warning to Mr Rudd not to ignore advice from outside his coterie, quoting a classical scholar Lu Jia who issued the same advice to his king. The letter’s opening quotation reads: ”Incompetent aides shielding a good king are like clouds overcasting the sun and the moon.” TAP spokesman Bob McMahon said previous missives to Mr Rudd had been met with ”bizarre forest industry propaganda”. Mr McMahon and his supporters want the Government to set up an independent review of the mill’s approval processes which they say have ridden roughshod over environmental concerns. Read more here

Canberra Times: mandarinpulp270608.pdf