Premier Bartlett,
From tomorrow, December 1st, there are twenty four sleeps before Christmas.
When you extended Gunns Sovereign Risk agreement, till today, the 30th of November, you promised a number of things:
You said five months ago: “The Government has drawn a line in the sand”
You said five months ago: The pulp mill project has divided the Tasmanian community significantly and we believe the divisions should not last for too much longer.”
You told the Australian Newspaper, on the first of July, that unless Gunns had achieved “real” finance and “real progress” on construction, government permits and involvement in the project would end.
You said: “The Tasmanian people have a right to say enough is enough.”
You told ABC News “I have drawn a line in the sand that says if the proponent can't meet the requirements of the permit and gain finance and substantially commence the project by 30th of November this year then enough is enough," and “The Tasmanian Government will no longer be involved in this project.”
I quote from the Mercury Newspaper of three months ago: “And Premier David Bartlett said Tasmanians deserved to know by Christmas whether or not the project was going ahead.”
I quote again from the Australian Newspaper of three months ago, “The Premier has warned that the mill will “live or die” by this date, giving Tasmanians closure on the issue by Christmas” and “unless Gunns achieved finance and began construction by November 30, government involvement, which included permits for the mill, would cease.”
Mr Bartlett: I, a citizen of this state, will be at the gates of Parliament today, Sunday 30th November at midday, to remind you of the commitments you have made to me and my fellow Tasmanians:
1 the end of the government permits [for the mill]
2 the end of Government involvement in the project
3 your line in the sand is that, as of today, Nov 30th, ‘enough is enough’.
4 that Tasmanians would have closure on the issue by Christmas
Mr Bartlett, cancel the permits, end government involvement, give us the Christmas present that you promised - in just 24 more sleeps!
Garry Stannus,
Sunday, November 30th, 2008.
