The Tasmanian Conservation Trust today claimed the Australian Government Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke, is doing Gunns’ marketing in relation to the use of native forests in the Gunns’ Tamar Valley pulp mill.
“There is absolutely nothing in yesterday’s permit conditions which will stop native forests from being used in the Gunns’ pulp mill in the future,” said TCT Director Peter McGlone.
“If business conditions change, Gunns will only have to ask the Environment Minister for an amendment and they will then be able to feed native forests into their pulp mill”.
“The claim by Minister Burke that the native forest protection is guaranteed because any new conditions for operating the Gunns pulp mill will need to deliver stronger or equal environmental protection is just a semantic distraction.
“The Australian Government currently endorses native forest logging so there would be no reason to believe that a future minister would not view native forest feedstock for the pulp mill as being at least as good an outcome for the environment as plantation feedstock.
“Burke has done nothing to assist the protection of native forests and has approved a pulp mill that may pollute Bass Strait and all conservation groups must commit to killing off his horrendous proposal.
“It is vital that the conservation groups which negotiated the Forests Statement of Principles Agreement actually start to campaign against the Gunns pulp mill and not just say they do not like it.
“The Wilderness Society has previously used its national reach and significant resources to kill-off the ANZ Bank’s interest in the Gunns pulp mill and we urge them to do the same again.”
Earlier on Tasmanian Times: Tasmanian Conservation Trust analyses;
TCT maintains opposition to the Bell Bay pulp mill
Urgent need to address key shortcomings in the Forests Agreement
Arthur Pieman – Minister O’Byrne favouring four-wheel drivers
Tarkine National Heritage under threat
