Gunns and Government must regain community trust to justify a new pulp mill

The Wilderness Society today reiterated its opposition to the Tamar Valley pulp mill proposal.

Wilderness Society spokesman Vica Bayley said Gunns’ proposed pulp mill in the Tamar Valley was based on a corrupted consultation process and Tasmanians had the right to expect the company and the government to now outline how they will regain community trust.

"The discredited fast-track assessment process for the proposed pulp mill remains unresolved. The community of the Tamar Valley and the rest of Tasmania were not given a fair chance to have their say on a pulp mill and for the consultation process to be transparent,” Mr Bayley said.

The Wilderness Society’s opposes the Tamar Valley pulp mill because of the mill’s likely impact on the marine environment, wood supply, location, fresh water use and the discredited fast-track assessment process.

Mr Bayley said Gunns’ commitment to base a pulp mill on only plantation timber was a welcome step in the right direction, but key issues about environmental impacts of a mill and lack of community support remained unresolved.

"The Wilderness Society supports the development of a sustainable timber industry in Tasmania that both conserves the natural environment and protects jobs. If the timber industry and the government want a pulp mill to ensure a sustainable timber industry is viable into the future then they must bring the community along with them, not undermine it,” Mr Bayley said.

More info:     Vica Bayley - 0400 644 939