Tasmania’s peak environment body has called on parliament to reject proposed amendments to the Pulp Mill Assessment Act including an amendment that would allow the pulp mill to operate in breach of its operating permit.
The draft amendment to section 8 of the Pulp Mill Assessment Act, proposes to delete sub-section 3 of the existing act, which states:
(3) If the person proposing the project does not comply with a condition contained in the Pulp Mill Permit, the Pulp Mill Permit is suspended until such time as the condition is complied with.
The effect of such an amendment would be to allow a mill to operate in breach of even basic operating conditions and environmental safeguards.
“If this legislative amendment passes – it means that the mill will be able to keep operating, even if it breaches basic operating conditions and environmental safeguards,” said Dr Phill Pullinger, spokesperson for Environment Tasmania,
“If this amendment passes – the pulp mill operator will be able to keep the mill running – even if there is a toxic spill or breaches of conditions relating to air pollution, the environment or human health,” he continued,
“Labor and Liberal party politicians have consistently stated that they would only support the mill if it met basic environmental safeguards – but this legislation would strip even the most basic of environmental safeguards away,”
Dr Phill Pullinger, spokesperson for Environment Tasmania
