Economy

Did you know that the State Government passed a law in 2007 that removes your right to appeal for compensation for any harm caused by Gunns’ planned pulp mill?

An analysis of the strategic planning environment for the planned pulp mill was presented to TAP members in early May 2008. Presenter was Mike Bolan.

Its purpose was to inform planning and decisions about where to focus efforts.

Some slides from that presentation are shown below to give a whole of system perspective . It follows on from a workshop that identified the needs of community members of TAP who live in the affected area of the Tamar Valley and northern Tasmania.

Report by prepared by Naomi Edwards April 2008.

Main points:

Report prepared by TAP, 2007.

Gunns Ltd and the Tasmanian Government both trumpet the economic benefits of an anticipated $6.7 billion boost to the state economy with 1617 new jobs from construction and 292 jobs long term.

20-28 March 2008 EMRS poll

1000 Tasmanian adults were interviewed by telephone. Of these, 500 were from the South, 280 from the North and North East and 220 from the North West and West Coast regions. (Please note that the original data for question 1 was incorrectly transcribed. The correct data showing the results  for question 1 are shown below. Our apologies for any confusion - an embarrassed Admin)

A Better Australia and TAP conducted two workshops with approximately 120 members to plan strategies to stop the pulp mill.

Sorted outputs from TAP/ A Better Australia presentations on 21 Jan 2008

What concerns does audience have for the future?

Social issues

• Ignorance & apathy of public
• Disempowerment of the young
• Lack of education & political education for our young
• Fragmentation of community into dysfunctional nuclear families
• Dysfunctional entrenched political thinking
• Insanity
• Loss of jobs to overseas call centres
• Lack of engagement in political process
• Lack of engagement in local government process
• Inability to distinguish between needs and wants
• Poor understanding of power of vote (not enough Green votes??)

Unrealisable expectation

The next TAP public forum in the series will be on alternative futures for our forests.

When 7pm - 9.45pm Monday 25 February 2008.

Where Riverside Community Centre, off Brownfields Lane behind the Riverside High School, West Tamar High way, Launceston.

Speakers
Speakers
Mike Scott (engineer) email - Mike_Scott@acl.com.au
Frank Strie (master forester) email - schwabenforest@connect.net.au
Kim Booth (Greens MHA) email - kim.booth@parliament.tas.gov.au

Decisions by Forestry Tasmania about the State's forests centre on producing one main low value product – pulp wood, but at what cost?

George Town municipality rate payers can now vote on four questions on the pulp mill elector poll. TAP recommends the following guide to voting. 

Question 1 A - the approval process - Vote NO
We were told that the mill had to be fast tracked through Parliament for commercial reasons. But project finance has not been secured, the required studies are not complete, final federal approvals have not been given and construction is at least 6 months away.

This is the first forum in a series jointly organized by ABA (A Better Australia) and TAP (Tasmanians Against the Pulpmill) to examine current and future problems confronting Australia and to develop strategies for dealing with them.

The format is an open public forum, democracy in action you might say, led by guest speakers with the emphasis firmly on public participation. If you have something to say, you will be heard.

WHERE: Community Centre behind Riverside High School, West Tamar Rd, Launceston (entrance off Brownfield Lane)
WHEN: Monday January 21st at 7.00pm