BOB McMAHON
Given the Wilderness Society support for the plantation industry and their proposition that they support Gunns building a 100% plantation fed pulp mill somewhere else in Tasmania other than the Tamar Valley, probably Hampshire, TAP has been compelled to make a public statement of its own position.
Distinctive Competence and Reason for Being.
Originally named Tasmanians Against Pulpmill and now TAP Into A Better Tasmania, TAP was formed as a non-party aligned community organization that operates in many spheres including the political, to oppose the proposed pulp mill in the Tamar Valley.
There was at the time of TAP’s formation in June 2006, and TRAC’s before that in January 2005, no other proposal from any company to build a pulp mill anywhere else in Tasmania. That is still the situation today. While some individuals and organizations have promoted “alternatives” to the Tamar Valley as a site for a pulp mill, TAP is not one of those. TAP was never formed to promote pulp mills and regards such “alternative” proposals as wrong-headed.
While it may be conjectured that one of the reasons for certain organizations to indicate support for ‘cleaner alternatives’ to the Tamar Valley proposal as a way of deflecting criticism that they are ‘anti-development’, TAP has always taken a position that highlights the spurious nature of this line of thinking. TAP Into A Better Tasmania represents development in Tasmania and the Tamar Valley in particular. We are the investors here. We have built our homes, set up our businesses, studios, vineyards, B&B’s, olive groves, orchards and farms in the region. Much planned further investment has been put on hold because of the Gunns pulp mill proposal. It is that proposal which should properly be regarded as anti-development.
TAP has no reason to support the establishment of a pulp mill anywhere, and especially not without due process which includes open and independent assessment with full community input and public hearings.
TAP believes that community protection should be offered through independently informed planning, due processes including equal access to law and public service support, and social licence from community involvement and effective protection from hazards.
TAP supports food production and the jobs and variety that food farming adds to local communities. TAP is appalled at the encroachment of tree plantation activities onto our food producing lands, particularly as world food shortages loom and taxpayers are forced to subsidise an industry that is changing land use and consuming much needed water while allowing toxins to leach into ground water and to be sprayed over people.
TAP has always campaigned against Managed Investment Scheme tree plantations and has developed a close relationship with farmers and with Robert Belcher and his SACA (Sustainable Agricultural Communities Australia).
Members of TAP are concerned about the impacts of any pulp mill on the environment. TAP recognizes that there are separate environmental organizations dedicated to that mission, amongst others, and supports them when their activities are consistent with TAP’s reason for being.
Bob McMahon
