The Wilderness Society welcomes Ralphs Bay win in Tasmania

Media Release
5th September 2005

The Wilderness Society today welcomed news that the developer for the Ralphs Bay project has withdrawn their application and the development will not be built. TWS also publicly congratulates the Save Ralphs Bay Group and thousands of members of the community who stood up to help stop this proposal.

"This is a significant win for conservation and a positive example of the need for and power of public participation and protest" said Wilderness Society Tasmanian Forest Campaigner Vica Bayley.

 "This shows the legitimacy of public action as a means to achieve a positive outcome for the environment and the community. This is a lesson well learnt considering the Gunns writ that is currently before the courts. It also injects confidence into the ongoing community opposition to the Gunns pulp mill proposal in the Tamar Valley"

Collapse in bi-partisan support for the Ralphs Bay project in the week before its withdrawal highlights the need for distance between political parties and private development projects.

"The Liberal Party and The Greens should be congratulated for listening to and supporting community concerns."