Today in the Launceston Magistrate’s Court, Magistrate Hill refused to allow Pulp the Mill to withdraw its case against Gunns.
Pulp the Mill alleged that Gunns broke the law by continuing to develop the Long Reach site when it had not substantially commenced the project by August 30 2011, as required by the Pulp MIll Assessment Act 2007.
In the last hearing on December 21 2011, Pulp the Mill asked the Court to grant it leave to withdraw the complaint because the same issues have now been raised in the Supreme Court by an unrelated organisation, Tasmanian Conservation Trust Inc.
Spokesperson for Pulp the Mill, Lucy Landon-Lane said, “As the same matter is now being dealt with in the Supreme Court in Hobart led by the Tasmanian Conservation Trust (TCT), Pulp the Mill sought to with draw its case to allow the superior court take over.
“We do not wish to waste court time and resources when the matter is being heard in the Supreme Court, which is why we requested our case be withdrawn.”
On hearing the Magistrate’s decision not to allow the case to be withdrawn, Pulp the Mill’s lawyers declared that they would tender no evidence.
Magistrate Hill then dismissed the case.
Lengthy legal discussion was then made about Gunns’ costs ordered against Pulp the Mill, and Magistrate Hill will give his decision about this some time in February.
