Rally today: Cundall, Raverty, Martin, Booth

Bob McMahon

Now, because of the way Gunns has managed its affairs, and the way the State government has pandered to Gunn’ resource ‘requirements’, Tasmanians are now exposed to foreign ownership of vast swathes of Tasmania and vast swathes of our forest resources.
MEDIA RELEASE AUGUST 22 2008 TAP Tasmanians Against the Pulpmill

Rally and March Saturday August 23 City Park Launceston at 12 noon.
Restore Democracy – Stop the Pulp Mill – Repeal the Pulp Mill Assessment Act

SPEAKERS
Bob McMahon MC Tasmanians Against the Pulpmill
Rachel Maynard Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre Welcome to Country
Fiona Newson Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council
Peter Cundall TAP
Dr. Warwick Raverty formerly RPDC
Gabby Forward/Stef Gebbi Students Against the Pulp Mill
Terry Martin Independent MLC
Dr. Phillip Pullinger Environment Tasmania
Kim Booth Greens MHA

At the conclusion of the march through the streets of Launceston, Bob McMahon will be nailing a list of Grievances and Solutions entitled The Declaration of Justice and Democracy, to the door of Henty House in Civic Square. By that act it is intended to launch a reformation of Tasmania’s body politic.

The debt crisis that has befallen Gunns has forced them to seek a joint venture partner overseas. Foreign ownership of the pulp mill is now a real possibility.

“Globalization may well be about to hit Tasmania like a sledgehammer,” said Bob McMahon from Tasmanians Against the Pulpmill.

It was bad enough that the State Government under Lennon contracted the government planning responsibilities out to a foreign company, the ‘fast track assessment’, when it paid the Swedish company Sweco Pic to do the pulp mill assessment after Gunns withdrew from the RPDC.

Now, because of the way Gunns has managed its affairs, and the way the State government has pandered to Gunn’ resource ‘requirements’, Tasmanians are now exposed to foreign ownership of vast swathes of Tasmania and vast swathes of our forest resources.

Tasmanians are not going to put up with this. Supporters and opponents of the pulp mill are all going to be united against foreign ownership of Tasmania. What sort of Tasmania are our children and grandchildren going to live in if foreigners own Tasmania and its resources?

There is the mother of all battles looming if Gunns continues to pursue this pulp mill white elephant when it is deeply in debt and must rely on foreign companies to buy in.

The State Labor Government has unleashed a monster. We are in one incredible bloody mess. It must repeal the Pulp Mill Assessment Act,” concluded McMahon.