Pulp Mill Media Releases

Timber industry using old-style tactics for old-style politicians - March 17, 2010

Today’s planned stunt by timber industry groups is simply a shallow re-run of a similar 2006 election stunt, according to the Wilderness Society. This stunt is just another example of logging companies dictating policy positions to politicians. Instead of showing vision and understanding the causes of the current crisis in the logging industry, these industry groups are trying to lock them into old-style policies the community doesn’t want and the industry doesn’t need

Gunns' planned restructure vain attempt to avoid real reform - February 21, 2010

Gunns Ltd’s proposed restructure of its company in response to its abysmal financial performance is a vain attempt to hide its native forest logging operations from scrutiny by potential pulp-mill investors, according to the Wilderness Society. Gunns, which today announced a 98% drop in profits for the first half of the financial year, plans to isolate its native-forest logging operations from the pulp mill proposal, plantations and other more acceptable parts of its operations such as wine-making and retail outlets.

Minister looking after Gunns' interests - January 20, 2010

Environment groups have labelled the trip to Japan by Resources Minister David Llewelyn with Gunns boss John Gay and Forestry Tasmania boss Bob Gordon a mercy dash aimed at looking after Gunns’ interests by attempting to keep native forest woodchipping alive in Tasmania.

Nordea Backs Away From Gunns’ Pulp Mill - January 07, 2010

For the first time, Nordea bank announced today that it would not finance the Gunns’ pulp mill in Australia if its widely publicised environmental impacts were not curbed. The announcement, made by Nordea via Twitter, came in response to a two-day blitz of public pressure. The campaign kicked off with an action from global campaign network Avaaz.org, and triggered engagement from thousands of Scandinavian citizens including many Nordea customers and shareholders.

Desperate Gunns settles for anything - November 26, 2009

Gunns Ltd today withdrew their case against two of the remaining six defendants in the infamous Gunns20 case.
Louise Morris and Neal Funnell will not be paying any costs or damages to Gunns after being sued for a combined $489,000 in 2004.

Norske Skog congratulated for ruling out native forests - November 16, 2009

Environment Tasmania and the Wilderness Society today congratulated Norske Skog on upgrades to its Boyer pulp mill in southern Tasmania, which mean only recycled material and plantation timber will be used in the mill from now on.

Södra’s interest in Tasmanian pulp mill welcomed by the Wilderness Society - November 10, 2009

The Wilderness Society welcomed the news announced today at the Gunns AGM that Swedish pulp and paper company Södra is one of the potential pulp-mill investors the company is in talks with. Södra has set minimum benchmarks for any pulp mill development in Australia, saying it would need to be totally chlorine-free (TCF), 100% plantation-based and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.

Dialogue with Gunns a positive step towards finding common ground on a forest solution - November 10, 2009

The Wilderness Society today confirmed it had met with representatives of Gunns in an attempt to find common ground and a resolution to the long-running conflict over forestry in Tasmania. The society believes an honest dialogue provides the best opportunity to find the resolution Tasmania needs, but has made it clear to Gunns that certain preconditions need to be met before any dialogue continues.

Tasmanian Government must investigate potential illegal vegetation clearance at pulp mill site - November 05, 2009

Aerial photos released today by the Wilderness Society show that vegetation has been cleared for the entire footprint of the pulp mill, potentially in breach of permit conditions. The permit expired after two years in August 2009 and has not yet been renewed or extended.

Pulp mill permit extension undermines government credibility - November 03, 2009

The credibility of the Tasmanian Government has again been undermined by its action today extending the expiry date of the fast-tracked pulp mill permits, according to the Wilderness Society.