ALERT UPDATE! Tasmanian 'Gunnerment' Approves Pulp Mill as Federal Environment Minister Extends Approval Process by Six Weeks
ALERT UPDATE! The Tasmanian state parliament has, as expected, approved the proposed ancient forest fed pulp mill. However, in a positive development, the Australian federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced that he is extending the time available to decide whether to grant federal environmental approval for the project for another six weeks. This comes as Australian and international protest is surging against the ill-conceived, fast-tracked doubling of logging in Tasmania's ancient forests for throw away paper products.
This provides extra time to let federal politicians know that Australians and the World do not want or need this polluting forest-hungry pulp mill. The momentum is on our side! The alert has been updated and is now targeting the Environment Minister. Please send or resend in order to have your concerns registered within the federal public commenting process, which offically ends on Friday, August 31st (but this alert will remain live nonetheless). YOU MAY WANT TO NOTE WHETHER YOU ARE AN AUSTRALIAN OR GLOBAL CITIZEN BY EDITING THE SAMPLE LETTER.
Comments
Dear Friends,
It seems to me that Australia as a whole needs somehow to avoid the Tasmanian ‘kiss of political and environmental death’. This letter from a scientist seems to me to deal with the both the science and the politics, and to lay the basis for a bipartisan national approach to the disaster we have festering in Tasmania. Malcolm Turnbull has done the correct thing in ordering an extension so as to get the science right. Let us hope that emotional intelligence – such a rare thing in our society today – wins out on this occasion. -- Ned Iceton
Posted by: Ned Iceton | August 31, 2007 8:25 AM
Gunns forest management is certified under the PEFC scheme. How can their operations be endorsed by a certification body?
What does this say about the quality of these schemes? How does the certification body endorse the use of napalm to clear sites? Will the proposed new mill be selling certified forest products?
Posted by: Jonathan Terry | September 2, 2007 7:51 AM
Thank you for your email on this important issue. My apologies for sending you a form letter - the campaign has been so successful that I have already received about 3000 emails in the first week!
The Greens share your concerns and have been campaigning relentlessly on this issue at the grassroots level as well as in both State and Federal Parliaments.
The Greens believe the proposed pulp mill would not only pollute the Tamar Valley and Bass Strait, devastate our ancient forests, increase carbon dioxide emissions from forest burning, threaten biodiversity, compromise human health, guzzle up to 40 billion litres of fresh water each year; it would also effectively undo two decades of hard work that has created Tasmania’s lucrative clean, green brand.
There are four Greens Senators in the Federal Parliament of Australia: Senators Bob Brown (TAS), Christine Milne (TAS), Kerry Nettle (NSW) and Rachel Siewert (WA). Senator Christine Milne is the spokesperson on the pulp mill. Please refer to Senator Milne’s website: http://www.christinemilne.org.au/300_campaigns_sub.php?&deptItemID=16 for information, campaign materials, speeches and press releases on the pulp mill.
Senator Milne recently produced a 30-second television commercial focussing on the enormous value of the clean, green brand to Tasmania’s economy. It can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJyBOjG8CA0 For background on the fight to keep Tasmanian clean and green go to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VNUmAva4XU
The Greens will continue to campaign on the pulp mill issue both in the Parliament and in the broader community. The Greens believe protection of the environment should underpin the new economic direction for Tasmania. The Greens support development consistent with making Tasmania a ‘Clean, Green and Clever’ economy.
I also note at the end of your email you refer to Australia’s inaction on climate change. The Greens believe climate change is the greatest threat to global security, the environment, community life, and the economy. Go to HYPERLINK "http://www.christinemilne.org.au/"www.christinemilne.org.au to see how the Australian Greens have responded to the enormous challenge of climate change.
Yours sincerely,
Senator Rachel Siewert
Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia
WA: 08 9228 3277
Canberra: 02 6277 3587
www.rachelsiewert.org.au
Posted by: Senator Rachel Siewert | September 5, 2007 2:19 PM