New poll shows little support for Garrett's pulp mill decision

The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc
Media Release
15 January 2009

A new poll has found that only 21% of Australians think that Peter Garrett did the right thing when approving the construction of the pulp mill in Northern Tasmania without the final approvals in place and before all environmental conditions were met.

The Essential Research poll was commissioned by The Wilderness Society following Peter Garrett’s announcement to approve Gunns construction of their pulp mill in Tasmania last week. 

The poll also found that a whopping 62% of Australians disagreed with Peter Garrett’s decision.

“This is a wake-up call to the Federal Labor party as it clearly demonstrates that there is little support for their controversial decision to approve the Gunns’ pulp mill,” said Mr Paul Oosting, from The Wilderness Society.

“It is clear that Australians have not been fooled into thinking the Minister has made an environmentally responsible decision,” he continued.

“The Federal Government needs to listen to the people of Australia and immediately put measures in place to ensure that Gunns cannot begin construction until the outstanding scientific and environmental work has been done.

“Peter Garrett granted Gunns an extension of two years. We want to see the government use that time to assess impacts of the pulp mill on native forests, climate change, local jobs and the Tasmanian and Tamar Valley economy. All of those issues were ignored under the Coalition.

“It is time for the Labor party to break with the history of the Coalition and reassess their policy on this critical issue,” said Mr Oosting.

Poll Question

Q. This week the Federal Government allowed the company Gunns Limited to begin construction of its proposed pulp mill in Northern Tasmania but withheld final approval until further environmental studies are completed on the release of waste into Bass Strait from the pulp mill. Do you agree or disagree that the construction of the pulp mill should be allowed to begin without the final approval in place and before all environmental conditions are met?

• Total agree - 21%
• Total disagree - 62%
• Don’t know - 17%