Pulp mill stench exposed

On 30 June, the ABC’s 7:30 Report revealed documents which have been kept secret for four years. These documents showed that the RPDC, the independent body which was assessing the pulp mill before Gunns pulled out of the process, was seriously concerned odour from the mill would adversely affect the quality of life of people in the Tamar Valley.

• Leaked documents confirm resident's fear of foul pulp mill
  View 7:30 Report transcript and video here >>
  

Dr Warwick Raverty, who was on the expert panel assessing the pulp mill, said:

On 30 June, the ABC’s 7:30 Report revealed documents which have been kept secret for four years. These documents showed that the RPDC, the independent body which was assessing the pulp mill before Gunns pulled out of the process, was seriously concerned odour from the mill would adversely affect the quality of life of people in the Tamar Valley. Photo: Paul Oosting

With the type of pulp mill Gunns wants to build, this rotten stench can be smelt up to 40 kilometres away. This would impact on the livelihoods and quality of living of tens of thousands of people and could lead to major job losses in tourism and vineyards.

This shows that the state government shouldn't have approved Gunns' proposed pulp mill. Clearly the expert panel of the independent assessment were unhappy with Gunns' project and were most likely not going to approve it.

Gunns and any joint venture partner need to listen to the independent scientific experts. Working families of Tasmania and the public who don’t want to see Tasmania’s irreplaceable native forests and enviable lifestyle destroyed. Gunns should drop the pulp mill proposal and go back to the drawing board.

Delay on announcement of joint-venture partner

Gunns was to have released details of a joint-venture partnership deal for the pulp mill to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) by the end of June, but instead it released a statement saying that it was ‘moving forward’ with one preferred joint-venture partner.

At this stage we are not aware who that partner is, though we do know that Swedish pulp company Södra is still considering the project. Your support so far has led to twenty leading banks and pulp companies committing to not be involved with Gunns’ pulp mill.

Let’s keep the pressure on — if you haven’t done so, please sign the online petition to Södra and make sure your friends and family do too: www.wilderness.org.au/stopmillfunding

Read more here:

Your tax dollars could prop up Gunns' pulp mill
The Wilderness Society - 25 June, 2009
Australian Forestry Minister Tony Burke has told Parliament that he wants to see the Gunns pulp mill built. This opens up the risk of your tax dollars being used to prop up this destructive project. More >>

Labor backs Gunns mill with handouts to follow
The Australian - 25 June, 2009
TAXPAYERS appear certain to fund a multi-million-dollar bailout of the pulp and paper industry, with the controversial Gunns Ltd Tasmanian pulp mill a likely beneficiary. More >>

Astonishing science findings add yet another reason to protect Australia's forests
The Wilderness Society - 19 June, 2009
According to new research conducted by scientists from the Australian National University, it is not the tropical rainforests but Australian forests that store the most carbon per hectare. The findings are due to be published in one of the world’s top science journals - "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences". More >>

Take action:

Contact Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Phone: (02) 6277 7700
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You can help by making an urgent donation today. Learn more about our pulp mill fighting fund >>