Australia/Tasmania: Deal favours Gunns’ pulp
mill project despite popular opposition
On the first days
of this month the Tasmanian people got to know of a deal that
had been struck four months before between their government and
the timber company Gunns. The deal, called the Sovereign Risk
Agreement, provides that taxpayers should fund the company along
20 years with $15 million in case its wood supply is compromised
by any reason. (1)
Gunns’ projected
pulp mill has faced strong opposition from social sectors including
students. In the blog Students Against the Pulp Mill (http://stopthemill.blogspot.com/2008/04/alliance-forms-to-save-tasmania-from.html)
it can be read: “So if we vote this government out because we
don't approve of the pulp mill, the next government will be forced
to continue supplying timber to Gunns, even if most Tasmanians
don't agree to it. How undemocratic”.
The government’s favouritism for Gunns is in
stark contrast with its attitude towards the concerns raised over
the potential adverse impacts of the unpopular pulp mill Gunns
plans to build in the Tamar Valley. The Gunns fast track approval
did not even assess the potential adverse impacts of the pulp
mill industry on tourism, fishing, niche clean agriculture and
wine making. And in case the proposed pulp mill causes damage
to clean, green industries, they won’t receive any compensation
for that.
Local businesses were told that it’s not the
government’s business to help them out if damage to their clean,
green reputation ensues.
An article from The Tasmanian Greens (2) denounces
the following: “A letter written by Premier Paul Lennon to the
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania (TICT) specifically addressing
industry concerns over the pulp mill, dated 6 September 2007,
states in relation to the following concern expressed to him:
TICT: ‘There must be a method of assisting
businesses that suffer loss of trade or capital value as a proven
result of the operation of the pulp mill’.
Premier: ‘Individuals will need to seek independent
legal advice about remedies available to them should they suffer
loss of trade or capital value as a result of the operation of
the pulp mill.’”
The students’ blog reports that last April
16 “A diverse collection of groups, individuals and businesses
from around Tasmania and Australia have come together in the Tamar
Valley this weekend and agreed to the formation of a cohesive
working alliance to stop the Gunns pulp mill.”
There was a call to close personal bank accounts
in ANZ Bank as a punishment for its potential support to the Gunns’
pulp mill project, and around 100 people –especially young people—
rallied on the Parliament House’s lawn to express the central
message: DON'T PULP OUR FUTURE!
Article based on information from: (1) Compo
for Gunns if supply fails, Matthew Denholm, The Australian,
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23652116-5013871,00.html;
(2) $15 Million Price Tag On Democracy Under Deal With Gunns,
http://tas.greens.org.au/News/view_MR.php?ActionID=2979
