Environment
Like John Gay mowing his lawn and claiming it’s a start on the pulp mill
KIM BOOTH
The Tasmanian Greens today released information from the Director of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Warren Jones clarifying that Gunns Ltd can only undertake minor ‘slashing and mulching’ of understorey vegetation on the pulp mill site and is prohibited from clearing any vegetation in the Trevallyn reserve or along the pipeline corridor.
Greens Pulp Mill spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that the EPA’s clarification made a mockery of Gunns’ claims that the work at the pulp mill site constituted a ‘substantial’ start when they had no permission to undertake any other works as they hadn’t fulfilled the Pulp Mill Permit requirements yet.
“Gunns claims of a ‘substantial’ start has been revealed to be effectively like one bloke with a whipper snipper clearing shrubs, as that is the only work Gunns is permitted to do so far,” Mr Booth said.
“It is misleading of the company to claim it is all systems go for major work to begin as I have had confirmation from the EPA that Gunns are prohibited from starting work in the Trevallyn Reserve or anywhere else on the pipeline corridor because they haven’t been issued those necessary permits.”
“This is a bit like John Gay mowing his lawn and claiming it’s a start on the pulp mill.”
“If they try and start clearing the Trevallyn Reserve they will be shut down by the Parks and Wildlife department.”
“What is clear is that Gunns have no permission to start major works and the slashing of scrub at the mill site is a pathetic attempt to convince people that something is actually happening with regard to the project,” Mr Booth said.