Gunns: getting the facts straight ...

The environmental credentials of any pulp mill in Tasmanian is vitally important to members of Timber Communities Australia who strongly support the pulp mill but it must meet the emission guidelines established by the Tasmanian Government in 2004.

TCA members live and work in the Tamar Valley, they work in the industry driving log trucks, working in the forests and mills. Their children attend schools in the communities, they all breathe the air and enjoy a wine or fresh Tasmanian sea food, some work in the tourism industry others are farmers and landowners.

TCA is funded by its members at various levels, including corporate support (hopefully by Gunns and other national industry leading producers); it has more than 13,000 members across 81 branches throughout the nation, made up of volunteers who have a passion for the sustainable use of natural resources and local communities that depend on the sustainable use of our natural resources.

So they are keen to ensure the mill will have no adverse impacts on our environment, public health, other industries and families. But they are also keen to have the substantial economic and social benefit of adding 2 per cent to the state economy, the jobs to be created and the benefits of creating a future for kids and communities.

Despite the 31,000 or so form emails and the opinion of three “experts”, the Tasmanian pulp will meet the vision of the Tasmanian Government, it will be Elemental Chlorine Free, it will minimise dioxins to below levels of scientific significance. It will meet conditions approved by the Tasmanian Parliament that protect the environment, minimise impact on other industries and safeguard public health.

All its needs now is a decision based on science, not politics, and removal of sovereign risk, that is Government risk, before this year’s Federal Election.