GetUp
“The entire process of approval has been fraught with undue kowtowing to Gunnsʼ demands – after all, it was Gunns who demanded the State approval process be fasttracked in the first place. Now they have demanded and been granted more time from the Federal Government,” said GetUpʼs Acting Executive Director Ed Coper.
8 September 2008
PRESS RELEASE
Garrett extends deadline, and hand of friendship, to Gunns
GetUp has criticised the Federal Environment Minister for granting further favours to Gunns in order to see their Bell Bay pulp mill built – this time extending the deadline for the Environmental Impact Management Plan (EIMP).
“The entire process of approval has been fraught with undue kowtowing to Gunnsʼ demands – after all, it was Gunns who demanded the State approval process be fasttracked in the first place. Now they have demanded and been granted more time from the Federal Government,” said GetUpʼs Acting Executive Director Ed Coper.
“If Gunns cannot build a pulp mill that meets environmental standards, then they should put the State and the nation out of its misery and dump the proposal – they should not be spoon-fed by the government until they are able to stand on their own two feet.”
“The people of the Tamar Valley have put their lives on hold to await the outcome of the pulp mill project – they need certainty, and the Federal Environment Minister owes them that. How much longer are we going to see State and Federal Governments bend over backwards to accommodate the needs of one company?”
“Why are Gunns in need of more time to show how their pulp mill will meet the environmental standards set out? Itʼs because their claims of a ʻworldʼs best practiceʼ pulp mill that meets environmental standards that Australians would expect are bogus.”
“The Federal Environment Minister should realise this and give finality to the issue by telling Gunns they have simply failed to meet the requirements of the approval process, and leave it at that,” said Mr Coper.
“Australians saw the Peter Garrett of old that they know and love when he blocked the Shoalwater coal plan last week – they would expect better from him in this case.”
GetUp members sent over 25,000 submissions to the original Federal approval process, and sent over 30,000 emails to ANZ urging them not to finance the mill. The campaign continues.
About GetUp: GetUp.org.au is an independent movement to build a progressive Australia. GetUp brings together like-minded people who want to bring participation back into our democracy. GetUp has over 280,000 members nationwide, more than every political party combined.
www.getup.org.au
