Tuesday: Pipeline, Budget public meeting

Vica Bayley

A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Launceston next Tuesday evening (10th June) to highlight the issue of the State Government funding Gunns’ pulp-mill pipeline. The meeting will also encourage increased public scrutiny of the upcoming state budget, the first since Premier Bartlett took over from Paul Lennon.
The Wilderness Society has begun letterboxing 40,000 homes in Launceston and the Tamar Valley with information about Paul Lennon’s pipeline proposals to assist the construction of Gunns’ environmentally damaging pulp mill with taxpayer’s money. The leaflets highlight positive comments recently made by Premier Bartlett that appear to distance his new government from the obsessions of the former Premier.

Paul Lennon’s plan was for the taxpayer to foot the bill for the pipeline and potentially other pulp-mill infrastructure, such as the wharf. This would cost the public tens of millions of dollars and trigger compulsory-acquisition powers which would force the pipeline across private property, against the wishes of landowners.

Premier Bartlett has been making very encouraging comments on this issue and has ruled out diverting more public money into funding the pulp mill. On ABC Radio National Breakfast, Premier Bartlett assured the Tasmanian public that “there will be no more public money going into the pulp mill.” In addition he said “I would rule out the government owning or building such a pipeline.” (28 May 2008)

The majority of Tasmanians would welcome this move towards a more responsible position on the use of public money. This would be a significant shift away from the approach of former Premier Lennon. The upcoming meeting is an opportunity for the public to show its support for Premier Bartlett’s new approach to dealing with the pulp mill.

Speakers at the meeting include former Tasmania Together board member Gerard Castles, Launceston City Councillor Jeremy Ball, local resident Buck Emberg, and Geoff Law from The Wilderness Society. Launceston City Council Deputy Mayor Rosemary Armitage will chair the meeting and the Premier has been invited to speak.

While Premier Bartlett’s comments have been encouraging and very well received by the public, the contents of the State Budget, due on the 12th June, two days after the public meeting, will be the proof of the pudding. The public meeting will shine a spotlight on the State Budget and be a very clear call on Premier Bartlett’s government to begin a new era and cut the supply of taxpayers’ funds to the pulp mill.

Pipeline Public Meeting 6.30pm, Tuesday 10th June,
Tailrace Centre, West Tamar Highway, Riverside, Launceston