Paul Oosting Wilderness Society MR

The ANZ are currently the bankers for Tasmania’s Gunns Ltd, and Rimbunan Hijau, the Malaysian logging company responsible for notoriously high levels of forest destruction in PNG. The Wilderness Society ads will run on News Ltd sites and on Scoop in NZ.
MEDIA RELEASE – 6th December 2007

INTERNATIONAL ADS HIGHLIGHT ANZ’s FOREST AND PULP MILL LINK
Urgent public call to ANZ to reject funding of the pulp mill proposal

The Wilderness Society today launched an online advertising campaign in Australia and New Zealand as part of the campaign highlighting the involvement of the ANZ bank in unsustainable native-forest logging in Tasmania, and their potential role in financing the Tamar Valley pulp mill.

The ANZ are currently the bankers for Tasmania’s Gunns Ltd, and Rimbunan Hijau, the Malaysian logging company responsible for notoriously high levels of forest destruction in PNG. The Wilderness Society ads will run on News Ltd sites and on Scoop in NZ.

“These ads represent a continuation of our efforts to highlight the ANZ’s involvement in bankrolling these environmentally and socially destructive companies,” said Paul Oosting spokesperson for The Wilderness Society.

“Logging causes climate change, degrades water supplies and is having a severe impact on biodiversity, with habitat loss being the greatest cause of global species’ extinctions.”

“The ANZ is considering funding the Tasmanian pulp mill proposal. This mill is anticipated to have a long-term demand for native-forest woodchips, which would lock in negative impacts on globally significant forests,” said Mr Oosting. “The pulp mill is also the subject of a new legal challenge because of its impacts on the marine environment.”

The online ads link viewers to the Wilderness Society’s web-based pulp mill pledge where community members can pledge to “not invest in banks or other financial institutions that fund the pulp mill or other forest destruction”.

“We urge ANZ customers to use their influence and call on the bank not to invest their money in destructive projects like the pulp mill,” continued Mr Oosting.

This advertising is leading up to an International Day of Awareness on Wednesday December 12th, where actions in Australia and New Zealand will inform ANZ customers and staff of the bank’s involvement and responsibilities. This day of awareness is itself a lead-up to the ANZ annual general meeting in Perth on December 18th.

“A decision on whether ANZ funds the pulp mill is due shortly. The bank urgently needs to hear the opinions of people concerned about the environmental and social impacts of the pulp mill,” concluded Mr Oosting.