Tony Burke, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has misled Parliament and should be relieved of his portfolio.
“It’s time for the Prime Minister to cut Burke loose. Not only is Burke a plagiarist, a shameless proponent of vested interest and incompetent in his portfolio, but most seriously of all, he has misled Parliament,” stated TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon.
“Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke last week flagged using taxpayer subsidies to make it more attractive to foreign operatives to take control of Gunns’ planned pulp mill and Tasmania's resources” said TAP Into A Better Tasmania spokesman, Bob McMahon.
But a new state-wide EMRS poll shows two in every three Tasmanians don’t want the planned Tamar Valley pulp mill to go ahead because it will result in foreign operatives effectively controlling Tasmanian water, land and forests.
Operation Smokewatch is about the community recording incidents of fires and smoke around Tasmania. The information from members of the public will be used by the community group "Operation Smokewatch" to lobby the government to protect human health.
Smoke smell and visibility are good indicators of very small smoke particles (PM 2.5). These particles are small enough to penetrate far into the lungs and cause significant harm to your health.
Still Wild Still Threatened is a grassroots community organisation campaigning for the immediate protection of Tasmania's ancient forests and the creation of an equitable and environmentally sustainable forestry industry in Tasmania.
Bob McMahon TAP Spokesman, January 8, 2009
As the community campaign against the Gunns pulp mill proposed for the Tamar Valley enters its fifth year, federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has set a new deadline of March 3, 2011, for Gunns to complete hydrodynamic modelling of effluent dispersal into Bass Strait.
The extension condemns the people of Tasmania — the communities of the Tamar Valley in particular — to at least two more years of uncertainty and conflict. Investment in the region will continue to dry up because of the continuing threat of the pulp mill. The property market collapsed years ago — an analysis of sales figures for 2003 and 2008 show a 75% decline — and people have held off investing for four years in the hope that the mill plan will be knocked on the head.
November 30, 2008 is a key date for the status of both the $15m Sovereign Risk Agreement and the 20 year Wood Supply Agreement between the State Government, Forestry Tasmania and Gunns.
The Government has said it has drawn a "line in the sand" of no further assistance to Gunns past November 30.
However, as author Peter Henning pointed out "It is clear, of course, that the Bartlett government and the Hodgman opposition will ignore the interests of the people and communities of the Tamar Valley in whatever further legislative or regulatory action the Parliament takes on behalf of Gunns. That is a foregone conclusion, as has been consistently demonstrated in all their actions in relation to the pulp mill." See http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/the-millstone/ for the full article.
The secret shadowy history of the Agreements below shows the rotten heart of “parliamentary democracy” in Tasmania.
Read more at Government Agreements Watch
The relationships between governments (local, state and federal) and Gunns is monitored here.
The Launceston City Council relationship with Gunns' proposed pulp mill.
State government position on benchmarks for “significant progress”
State Government Sovereign Risk Agreement and Wood Supply Agreement with Gunns
Federal Government Environmental Impact Management Plan and Modules
Failures of Module C - Roadkill Survey Report by TAP Research
Pulp and paper expert Dr Warwick Raverty, reached the “sad conclusion that Gunns is not a fit and proper company to build a pulp mill anywhere” in Tasmania (14 March 2007). That conclusion is supported by the pdf documentIs Gunns Ltd Reliable?, a record of nearly 200 statements from CEO John Gay and Gunns Ltd, and State and Federal governments relating to the planned pulp mill in the Tamar Valley.
Its purpose is to help potential investors assess Gunns' competence to build and operate one of the largest pulp mills in the southern hemisphere. It illustrates the political, economic and project risks for investors in Gunns' proposal.
The statements have been collated by TAP Research from media reports, documentaries and publications from 2004 to the present and are hyperlink referenced for easy checking. It will be updated periodically as new evidence emerges.
Please send your message to Mr Rudd to say no to the pulp mill and that you want to protect forests for our climate and future generations - not pulp them for short-term profit. Go to online petition
“Highly confidential information was made available to TAP on the evening of November 10th,” stated TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon.
“The information throws up the following serious questions,” continued McMahon.
Why has Bartlett allowed work to begin on the pulp mill site when permit concerns were raised with the EPA last July?
TAP Into A Better Tasmania expressed outrage today that community concerns have again been disregarded by Tasmania's State Government.
Questions about the permit conditions for Gunns Ltd's proposed Pulp Mill were raised with the Environmental Protection Authority over three months ago, but continue to remain largely unacknowledged by David Bartlett.
The legality of land clearance beyond the permit deadlines has also been criticised by members of the University of Tasmania's Law Faculty.
"The clearing of vegetation from the mill site began in early August, and concerns were immediately expressed to the EPA, and to several key government ministers, querying the legality of the work. We are furious that despite loud warning bells, no-one was listening" said TAP spokesman Tony Saddington.
"We have concerns that site work carried out by Gunns would contravene the Pulp Mill Assessment Act, given that Gunns have cleared vegetation without the necessary permits. David Bartlett has allowed destructive land clearing to take place while ignoring the community's concerns, and with no suggestion Gunns should have penalties imposed for breaching permit conditions," he continued.
TAP said the Government should have called for an immediate suspension of work at the Long Reach site until questions relating to permit issues had been addressed.
"David Bartlett is repeating the errors of his predecessor Paul Lennon in allowing expired permits to be revived through a fast-tracked extension. That Gunns have failed to attract finance, or the interest of a Joint Venture Partner is clearly shown by David Bartlett's cynical extension of the time frame to 2011. But his decision has condemned Tamar Valley residents to a further two years of uncertainty and despair.
"If government arrogance and lack of adherence to proper process is what the community can look forward to, then our fears about this project would seem to be entirely justified. And the iniquitous PMAA prevents any right of appeal by any individual or business should the mill cause any harm whatsoever to their health or livelihoods," said Mr Saddington.
TAP is still waiting for answers to questions asked of senior ministers in relation to this issue.
TAP condemned the decision by David Bartlett's government in extending permit conditions for the proposed Gunns' Pulp mill by a further 2 years.
David Bartlett promised Tasmanians an end to the pulp mill uncertainty by Christmas last year, and suddenly with the permits expired, the ALP is now in the process of fast tracking legislation that will continue division in the community for a further 2 years said a TAP spokesman.
"We have fought against this mill for 5 years in order to keep local jobs in the Tamar valley. David Bartlett has now ensured that the community will continue the fight to protect its health, jobs and livelihood" he continued.
"We will not give up. Any potential partner, buys into extremely strong community opposition."
“A witness has reported to TAP that the graffiti on John Gay’s property was composed of some squiggles and a drawing of a penis. We have no information about the alleged ‘smoke bomb’, TAP spokesperson Bob McMahon said today.
“It was entirely predictable from past performances that fingers would be pointed at the anti-pulp mill community organization TAP, for the alleged ‘attack’ on John Gay’s house”, he said.
“And how self-serving for pulp mill supporters to do so.
“We live in a very divided community and we do well to ask ourselves how this came about and who is responsible?” he continued.
“The State Government and its proxy, Gunns Ltd, have deliberately ignored community concerns about the impact of the proposed mill on jobs, health and investments in the Tamar Valley and throughout Tasmania.
“This is toxic to community cohesion”, he said.
“In addition, the State Government in collusion with Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Ltd, has continued to operate and subsidise at public expense an outmoded monopolistic forest industry that has forced forest contractors out of business and Gunns employees onto the scrap heap.
“It’s a great credit to Tasmanians that given all the hurt and provocation they have largely avoided violence and damage to property and have not lowered themselves to the standards of the State Government and certain other players”, Mr McMahon said.
