Gunns Ltd AGM - support for forest agreement welcomed

Media Release
25 November 2010

The Wilderness Society today attended a very different Gunns’ AGM than those in the past. The Wilderness Society congratulated Gunns’ announced exit from native forest logging and support for the Tasmanian forest agreement which would see the creation of a sustainable timber industry and the protection of Tasmania’s precious native forests .

“Gunns new CEO Greg L’Estrange should be congratulated for leading his company towards a total exit from native forest logging and recognising that there is no future for the industry’s continued reliance on logging native forests,” said Mr Oosting.

“This promises a good outcome for the forests and the Tasmanian public. We are still waiting for Federal Government support for this peace agreement, a critical step in seeing these commitments translated into forest,” said Mr Oosting.

Despite media speculation Gunns did not make any announcement on a joint venture partner for the project.

However, the Tamar Valley pulp mill is still a highly divisive issue in Tasmania. There remain significant environmental concerns to building the pulp mill and community opposition remains strong.

“We still hold serious concerns for the protection of the Bass Strait marine environment and we await the outcome of the Federal Environment Minister’s assessment of marine impact,” said Mr Oosting.

“We have called on Gunns to release the marine impact studies submitted to the Federal Government as part of the assessment process. The pulp mill does not have all necessary Federal Government approval to operate and the public and independent scientists must have the opportunity to scrutinise the project’s impact on fisheries and the marine environment. Gunns today committed to releasing the marine impact assessment as soon as possible, which is a welcome move.”

“Due to a long legacy of a flawed, fast-track assessment and failed community engagement, the Tamar Valley pulp mill does not have community support and is still unable to earn it. A new, conflict-free Gunns and Tasmanian timber industry must start afresh and not be based on the mistakes of the past.”