Gunns encouraged to move away from conflict approach to Tassie’s forests

Media Release 4th February 2010

Gunns encouraged to move away from conflict approach to Tassie’s forests

Tasmania’s peak environment body has encouraged Gunn’s to move away from the conflict approach to Tasmania’s forests, as another case between Gunns and environmental protestors goes to court today. The court case against 13 forest campaigners is occurring less than a week after Gunns made the commendable decision to drop the Gunns 20 court action last week.

“Critics have publicly supported Gunns’ decision to settle the Gunns 20 case. We would also strongly encourage Gunns to take the next step of dropping its litigation against other forest campaigners,” Environment Tasmania Director Dr. Phill Pullinger said.

“All Tasmanians deserve to engage in open and free discussion about our unique environment. Suing critics won’t help Gunns clean up its international reputation or solve the difficulties it is now facing in the international market-place,” Dr. Pullinger said.

“The aggressive conflict approach to Tasmania’s forests is a lose for timber jobs, a lose for Tasmania’s ancient forests, and a lose for the health and cohesion of the Tasmanian community,” continued Dr Pullinger, “On the other hand – there is a solution available where we can protect our native forests and secure timber jobs by properly utilising our existing plantations,”

“Gunns claims it is genuinely considering gaining whole-of-company FSC certification. Gunns would do well to learn from some of the stakeholder consultation methods used by the FSC, rather than by pursuing a discredited tactic of litigation,” Dr Pullinger said.
Dr Phill Pullinger, Environment Tasmania