Community alarm

Paul Oosting
Protesters send message that new phase of the pulp mill campaign will ensure the pulp mill never operates in Tasmania.

MEDIA RELEASE April 23, 2009

COMMUNITY ALARM AS EQUIPMENT ARRIVES FOR GUNNS’ PULP MILL

Protesters send message that new phase of the pulp mill campaign will ensure the pulp mill never operates in Tasmania.

The Tasmanian community is alarmed as a large cargo ship, the Beluga Finesse, is arriving in Tasmania carrying equipment for Gunns’ native forest-fed pulp mill. Gunns is playing a high stakes gamble ordering equipment for a project that does not have approval to operate, is strongly opposed by the public and still faces possible legal challenges.

“Gunns is gambling with their shareholders’ and investors’ money by ordering equipment for a project which does not have Federal Government approval or a social license to operate,” said Paul Oosting, pulp mill campaigner for The Wilderness Society.

“They are also gambling with Tasmania’s future and with climate change,” said Mr Oosting.

“This is a monumental waste of shareholders’ money. Australians will not sit back and allow their environment and community to be destroyed for the profits of one company at the cost of their own prosperity,” said Mr Oosting.

Legal avenues to ensure that Gunns’ proposed pulp mill is not allowed to go ahead are currently being investigated.

The Wilderness Society will be meeting urgently with groups opposed to the pulp mill to discuss their response to this new phase of the campaign. Protesters gathered today on the banks of the Tamar River as the cargo ship arrived.

“We have seen special deals by government to allow this project to get this far but continued community opposition will stop this project and protect Tasmania’s clean green future,” concluded Mr Oosting.