OVER 2500 people rallied in Launceston on Saturday 3rd December to say NO to Gunns’ proposed pulp mill in the Tamar Valley. The Wilderness Society campaigners and volunteers were thrilled with the turnout which shows the extent of opposition to Gunns current pulp mill proposal.
The vocal and energetic crowd sent a clear message to Gunns and the Tasmanian and Federal Governments that they do not want this pulp mill to be built as it will drive ongoing forest destruction and pollute the air and marine environments.
Music from local bands contributed to the carnival atmosphere of the event and all six speakers were warmly welcomed by the crowd. The full house was welcomed by local Aboriginal representative Trudy Maluga, who pointed out the lack of consultation with the indigenous community for the pulp mill proposal.
The threat to Tasmania’s unprotected native forests featured strongly in speakers’ presentations. Friends of the Blue Tier community campaigner Lesley Nicklason told the crowd of lost tourism opportunities in the north-east, where an eight day walking track has been dismissed as “unviable” by Forestry Tasmania. The Wilderness Society’s National Forest Campaigner Sean Cadman highlighted the threats faced by our unique wildlife. In the north-east, part of the wood supply zone for the pulpmill, the wedge-tailed eagle faced an increased risk of localised extinction should planned logging operations proceed.
Local campaigner and newly elected councillor Les Rochester criticised the evaluation process and expressed the concerns of the Tamar Valley community about the impacts of the pulp mill, particularly on the marine environment of Bass Strait. Local high school student Anna Bickel articulated youth demands for Tasmania to strive towards a clean, green future.
Opposition is widespread and growing
Economist Dr Tony McCall vividly explained why the pulp mill would be a negative step for Tasmania’s economic future. Developed countries like Australia should be focusing on producing differentiated products for niche markets, he explained, not using valuable resources to produce a low value product that would have to compete with an increasingly flooded world market.
The turnout at the rally showed that the community is aware of the environmental, social and economic impacts of the proposed pulp mill, and that opposition to this pulp mill is widespread and growing each day.
This rally showed that people will continue to speak out for the protection of Tasmania’s forests. We invite everyone to join the campaign to protect Tasmania’s oldgrowth forests, and to ensure this pulp mill is not built in the Tamar Valley.
If this pulp mill is approved, Tasmania’s forests will be on the frontline of pulp mill-driven destruction. Gunns Ltd, Australia’s largest export woodchipper, will gain access to Tasmania’s forests, our forests, for the next thirty years.
This pulp mill will drive ongoing forest destruction in Tasmania, particularly in the north of the state, and magnificent forests such as Ben Lomond, the Blue Tier, Great Western Tiers, the North East Highlands and the tall eucalypt forests of the Tarkine could be lost forever.
Over the next few months The Wilderness Society will be taking people into some of these forests so they can see for themselves what could be lost. For details of these tours, contact the Launceston Campaign Centre on (03) 6331 7488.
On behalf of the TasCampaign team, thank you all for your support,
Gemma Tillack
Tasmanian Community Campaigner
The power of many can change the world,
Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
Earlier, Wes Young:
Pulp mill: They won’t listen
