The Beaconsfield Real Community Forum 4 October 09

Around 500 to 600 citizens came to the real Community Forum, on Sunday 4 October at the Beaconsfield Primary School and heard more than 20 speakers take the microphone against Gunns' proposed pulp mill, the corruption in Tasmanian politics, aerial spray pollution in plantations, and many more issues about the deep seated failure of government.

Armed with drums, bells, cymbals, buckets, horns, tambourines, bugles, saucepans, lids, tins, garbage bins, whistles, and anything that made a loud noise, they rose as one to create a deafening cacophony venting their anger at State Government Ministers when they arrived to "consult" the community. Twenty one were arrested for refusing to leave the grounds.

Speaking on ABC TV after the event, Premier David Bartlett claimed “I certainly support their right to peaceful protest and demonstration of that point of view. There is also a very large section of the community that recognises 40,000 new jobs.” The 40,000 jobs statistic is a brand new claim made today. Bartlett has been compelled by anger of the people to up the stakes in a game of bluff with the Tasmanian voters with his call of 40,000 new jobs.  Gunns state that only 1250 short term construction jobs and 292 long term operational jobs are required by the planned pulp mill. Bartlett's new job claim shows a desperate man making stupid mistakes.
 

The Real Community Forum

It's not the first mistake Bartlett has made, and it won't be the last. But his biggest mistake is to underestimate the public by treating us as fools.

Jose