This section follows the news trail right back to the original IIS:
6/5/2008: ANOTHER MATES DEAL ANNOUNCED 4/5/2008: PRO-MILL CANDIDATE SUFFERS CRUSHING DEFEAT 2/5/2008: STATE GOVERNMENT REFUSE TO GIVE PIPELINE INFORMATION
1/5/2008: COURT GIVES GO-AHEAD FOR CASE
30/4/2008: PRO-DEMOCRACY MEETING ATTRACTS 700 12/4/2008: TAP POLL NO COMFORT FOR GUNNS
6/4/2008: WHERE TO FROM HERE? 4/4/2008: LAWYERS FOR FORESTS UPDATE
2/4/2008: GARRETT GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO EARTHWORKS
28/03/2008: DESIGN WORK TO BE RELOCATED TO MELBOURNE 25/03/2008: WORK ON THE SITE 25/03/2008: WHAT'S WRONG WITH TASSIE?
21/03/2008: GAY DENIES MISLEADING PUBLIC
20/3/2008: LACK OF TRAINING MEANS FEW LOCAL PULP MILL JOBS
19/3/2008: YET ANOTHER LIE EXPOSED 15/3/2008: LENNON FAILS TO ANSWER COLLUSION QUESTION
15/3/2008: LENNON ATTACKS 'NIMBY' ATTITUDE
15/3/2008: HYDRO CANNOT GUARANTEE WATER FOR MILL
14/3/2008: DEMO MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF RPDC DUMPING
12/3/2008: FINANCE SET TO BE FINALISED - GAY 6/3/2008: PULP MILL WATER USAGE QUERIED
4/3/2008: GUNNS BEHIND SCHEDULE ON SUBMISSIONS 4/3/2008: NEW APPROVAL MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PIPELINE
3/3/2008: PULP MILL UNREST BIGGER THAN FRANKLIN
3/3/2008: TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT MAY PAY FOR GUNNS' PIPELINE
2/3/20008: GAY STILL GUNG-HO ON MILL
1/3/2008: GAY SAYS PULP MILL PROJECT HAS MADE HIS LIFE A MISERY
28/2/2008: GUNNS' PROFITS LOWER 23/02/2008: PULP MILL WILL NOT BE IMMUNE FROM GREENHOUSE SCRUTINY - LENNON
22/02/2008: GUNNS ARROGANT UNPROFESSIONAL COWBOYS - RAVERTY
19/2/2008: STOP LOGGING FORESTS MEETING TOLD
16/2/2008: PULP MILL STILL UP IN THE AIR 12/2/2008: WE CAN FIELD 6,500 - WILDERNESS SOCIETY
9/2/2008: PROTESTORS SHARPEN THEIR CLAWS
8/2/2008: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BLAME FOR DELAYS - GAY 7/2/2008: GUNNS PROVIDES TIMELINE FOR MILL
The timeline for the submissions and construction is on page 8 of the overview section. It is already behind schedule:
6/2/2008: CELCO EXECUTIVES TO BE QUESTIONED ABOUT TOXIC LEAK
5/2/2008: GEORGE TOWN ELECTOR POLL 4/2/2008: LAWYERS FOR FORESTS TAKE GARRETT TO COURT 1/2/2008: MINISTER APPROVES SITE CLEARANCE
29/1/2008: PULP MILL COULD COST TASMANIA $300 million
28/1/2008: FOREST INDUSTRY FUTURE BLEAK
23/1/2008: DANNI ECUYER SAYS MILL NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
22/1/2008: OPPONENTS TAKE HEART FROM MORE MILL DELAYS
18/1/2008: SO MUCH FOR TRANSPARENCY
16/1/2008: IFT WINDING UP 11/1/2008: GARRETT TO MAKE DECISION SOON
4/1/2008: GUNNS WAIT ON FEDERAL APPROVAL
3/1/2008: PULP MILL ON SHAKY GROUND 21/12/2007: GUNNS BUYS LAND BUT PERMITS STILL TO BE GRANTED
20/12/2007: GEORGE TOWN COUNCIL HOLDS ELECTOR POLL 19/12/2007: HOBART COUNCIL WILL SEND RESULTS OF POLL TO CANBERRA
18/12/2007: ANZ AGM BRIEFED ON MILL
18/12/2007: CANADIAN PULP MILL FAILS TO MAKE PROFIT - CLOSED
15/12/2007: ANZ MAY SAY NO 14/12/2007: WILDERNESS SOCIETY DROP COURT CASE 14/12/2007: GUNNS ON SHORT-LIST TO TAKE OVER CARTER HOLT 12/12/2007: GUNNS HAVE NOT HAD QUOTE FROM LEIGHTON YET
10/12/2007: GUNNS MAY HAVE BREACHED CONDITIONS
8/12/2007: SHAREHOLDERS QUESTION ECONOMICS OF MILL
5/12/2007: LAWYERS FOR FORESTS CHALLENGE MILL APPROVAL 29/11/2007: PETER GARRETT APPOINTED ENVIRONMENT MINISTER 29/11/2007: RAVERTY TELLS GEORGE TOWN - IT'S GOING TO SMELL 28/11/2007: GEORGE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING REJECTS MILL
27/11/2007: GUNNS BIDS FOR AUSPINE AND SUSPENDS SHARES 27/11/2007: RAVERTY SAYS MILL WAS ELECTION ISSUE
26/11/2007: ELECTION RESULT HITS GUNNS' SHARES 25/11/2007: ELECTION RESULTS REFLECT PULP MILL UNEASE
24/11/2007: ISSUE GETS AIRING IN BRITISH PRESS
Many thanks to the person who sent this cartoon:
23/11/2007: BOTNIA STARTS UP - WHAT A PONG!
23/11/2007: THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY AGM
There were threats and scuffles:
22/11/2007: COURT REJECTS WILDERNESS SOCIETY APPEAL 22/11/2007: GUNNS AGM DISSOLVES INTO CHAOS
21/11/2007: FLANNERY SAYS MILL UNLIKELY
20/11/2007: FLANAGAN SAYS MILL MUST BE STOPPED
20/11/2007: ANZ WILL LOSE HUNDREDS OF ACCOUNTS
19/11/2007: LAUNCESTON COUNCIL WITHDRAWS SUPPORT FROM PROJECT
18/11/2007: NOTHING IS GOING RIGHT FOR GUNNS
17/11/2007: PULP THE MILL - WE CAN, WE WILL!
The Wilderness Society are targeting financiers involved with the project:
13/11/2007: ETHICAL CORPORATION QUESTIONS MILL FINANCE
13/11/2007: TAP ANNOUNCE HUGE CLASS ACTION IF MILL PROCEEDS
13/11/2007: NATIONWIDE POLL AGAINST MILL 12/11/2007: POLL SHOWS 54% DON'T WANT MILL
12/11/2007: ARGENTINA ANGRY ABOUT MILL IN URUGUAY
The Government have announced a sovereign risk deal that will pay Gunns $15m. if a future government interferes
with wood supply to the pulp mill. The claim is that finance institutions asked for this. But did they? The ANZ have refused
to confirm that they asked and it is a pathetically small amount compared with the cost of the mill at $2bn. $15m. would be
just over a month's interest. It seems far more likely that the deal was made to discourage a future government
from curtailing wood supply and that the announcement was made now because it would have to be disclosed in the
budget coming up anyway. It's just another example of the Government bending over backwards to help Gunns. The
mill has yet to be financed and is not likely to be this year (in spite of what Mr.Gay keeps saying) with the banks
unlikely to give approval before all
permits are granted (and then they might say no) - and the permit process seems to be taking three times as long as predicted.
In an upper house election in the electorate likely to be most affected by the pulp mill, Rosevears, the sitting
member Kerry Finch, who is against a pulp mill in the Tamar valley, was re-elected with nearly 75%
of the vote. The candidate against him supported the project so giving pro-millers a chance to have a say.
The result shows that support for the mill is still only about 25% - that hasn't changed at all
over the last three years.
Paul Lennon's transparency promise has taken another battering with the State Government refusing to release
information on a possible secret pipeline financing deal between the State and Gunns. The pipeline is likely
to cost well over $100m.
Gunns' lawyers have failed in their attempt to stop 'Lawyers for Forests' challenging the Federal approval decision
on environmental grounds. The case will be heard in June or July.
A pro-democracy meeting held at Riverside last night attracted a large attendance. One of the main topics was
the fast-track pulp mill approval process. Speakers included Warwick Raverty, Lindsay Tuffin, Bob McMahon, Terry Martin
and Jeremy Rockliffe. The large very vocal audience made it quite clear that they are not happy with the present
Government and the way it was supporting and promoting the pulp mill - and that this issue is not going to go away.
An opinion poll commissioned by 'Tasmanians against the pulpmill' shows that the public are still very much opposed
to the project. 61% said ANZ should not finance the mill (after eliminating don't knows) and only 1% thought spending
money on infrastructure for the mill should come before health and education.
Gunns' CEO John Gay said this week that the banks will need to see all the permits in place before a decision on finance can
be reached. At the present rate of progress that could be many months or even over a year away. And then the ANZ
Bank could say NO. Meanwhile Gunns, which has only a modest operating profit, is bleeding from the costs of all
the design work and permit preparations. If managed investment schemes are stopped and carbon credits introduced
it may be that Gunns will be forced to have a re-think about the whole project.
The first hearing in the case was on 4 February 2008. Gunns made an application for security for costs, which is an
order that would require LFF to give a bank guarantee that would go to contribute to Gunns' legal costs if LFF lost
the case. The Judge delayed deciding that application until a later stage in the proceeding. He said that at that
stage he was of the view that LFF should not pay security for costs. Also on 4 February 2008, the Judge set a timetable
- LFF is to file its evidence on 25 Februuary 2008, the Minister is to file his evidence on 17 March 2008 and all the
parties will be back in Court on 18 March 2008 at which time it is possible that the Judge will set a date for the
ultimate hearing of the case. The hearing scheduled for 18 March 2008 was changed to 30 April 2008.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has given the go-ahead for earthworks to begin at the Longreach site.
There has been no indication if Gunns will proceed - one problem might be that much of the rubble created
will be used to build the wharf so that module may need to be passed first. Gunns have not confirmed finance
yet and the ANZ have not given any indication at what point they will give a decision. If all permits need to be issued
it could be a long long time.
Gunns announced today that the design work for the mill, 100 jobs, is being relocated to Melbourne - the excuse being
that more expertise was available there. So much for jobs for Tasmanians. Or could it be that Gunns do not want their
design engineers exposed to public antagonism to the project?
Gunns have started installing their perimeter fence around the mill site. Rowella was treated to the sound
of chainsaws as the fenceline was cleared.
The Gunns' pulp mill has featured in a poll as the strongest negative about Tasmania in a visitor's poll.
In an interview in the Hobart Mercury, Gunns' CEO John Gay says that more work will be done on the mill before it arrives
which is why less workers are needed now. So the 3000 jobs and boost to the economy that would have resulted has been more
than halved and the extra work is completed overseas. That wasn't in the promotional blurb. He is also said it would be
built by the middle of 2010 (in spite of it taking longer to build) because the time started in January - in spite of no work
on the site having started by Easter!
Industry analyst Robert Eastment says that little or no training has been done to prepare the Tasmanian workforce
for work at the mill.
It has now been announced that the number of jobs at the pulp mill site during construction will be less than
1300. The original documentation said 3000. How could they get this figure so completely wrong? Is it deception
or ineptitude - or is there another explanation? The mill will take longer to build - another six months.
In an interview with Matthew Denholm, Premier Lennon refused to directly answer the question whether Gunns knew
if they withdrew from the RPDC it would be replaced by a new easier approval process. The whole of Tasmania knows the answer
to that question Mr Lennon, so why hide the truth?
Premier Paul Lennon admits that the people of Launceston don't want the pulp mill but says it is a 'Not in my backyard'
response. Cobblers Mr Lennon. The people of Hobart voted 75% against the pulp mill in a council poll and the only poll
where the mill had a (slight) majority was in George Town where it will be built. Think again Mr Lennon.
Hydro Tasmania admits it cannot guarantee water for the mill in drought conditions.
A very vocal demonstration outside Gunns' offices in Launceston today indicated that opposition to the project
is as strong as ever. The main speaker was former RPDC panellist Dr. Warwick Raverty.
The front page of the Examiner quotes Gunns' CEO John Gay as saying that finance for the mill will be finalised
soon. Could Mr. Gay be trying to prop up Gunns' falling share price? If there are no problems with the finance
why say anything at all?
The pulp mill could use up to 45% of daily average flows at certain times according to the Mercury.
There is also disquiet at how little Gunns are paying for their water - in fact, they are only paying for lost electricity
generation.
The Federal team assessing the mill are only working on one Gunns' submission - the earthworks. The others due
by now are Wharf construction (14th Feb), Accommodation facility (1st Feb), and Pipeline (26th Feb). These dates
were on Gunns' website.
A legal opinion is that the pipeline would have to be sent back to Peter Garrett for further approval if sewage is
added to the pulp mill effluent. The Tasmanian Liberals have come out against State funding for the pipeline.
Groups opposed to the proposed pulp mill promise a huge and bitter fight if the project proceeds.
In a move that makes it look as though Gunns is looking for financial help from the Tasmanian Government,
Premier Paul Lennon has announced that the Government will look at declaring the pipeline essential infrastruture
and pay the cost. This is likely to be far more than has been stated so they could get a shock. The reasons for
doing so do not bear close scrutiny as there would be far cheaper options for irrigation and sewage disposal. In
fact, the reason is that it would enable them to compulsory purchase a corridor for the pipeline as some landowners
have said they will not let it through their land.
Gunns' CEO says that there will not be any problems with the mill going ahead and expects it to be operating by 2010.
He admits that final approval for finance has not come through from the ANZ but says it is a formality.
In an interview with the Mercury newspaper, Gunns' CEO John Gay says that he can longer go out in public.
Gunns announced a reduced half year profit of $14.9 million. Some broker recommendations have been downgraded.
Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon has asked Professor Ross Garnaut to assess the impact of the Tasmanian forestry
industry on the greenhouse effect. He said that the recommendations will be implemented even if it adversly
affects the pulp mill.
Pulp and paper expert Dr Warwick Raverty says that Gunns have not received any recognisable support from other pulp and
paper manufacturers in Australia probably because they could be afraid the Longreach project may give the industry a bad name
with unacceptable odour emissions in the Tamar valley.
An international forestry convention in Hobart has been told to stop logging old forests.
A meeting of 290 contractors hoping for work on the pulp mill development has been told that the project
still has to be voted on by the Gunns' Board and that finance had still not been finalised according to
the Hobart Mercury.
Vica Bayley of the Tasmanian Wilderness Society says that they will protest for years if the mill is built.
Preparations are being made to disrupt the building of the mill. Tasmanians against the pulpmill (TAP)
are running training camps for peaceful protests.
Gunns' CEO John Gay said that the timeline was out of date due to Federal Government delays in issuing permits
and that no work would be carried out on the site until further permits were issued. He also said that the Gunns'
Board would meet soon to approve the project which means they will have to disclose their source of funding to
the Stock Exchange. There is also a rumour that Gunns are negotiating to sell their Tamar Ridge wine interests to
Lion Nathan.
Gunns have provided a time table for construction of their pulp mill at Longreach on their website. Gunns hope
to start earthworks by the end of February and begin construction in August. It must be noted that Gunns have
completely failed to meet any of their self-imposed deadlines in the past. Earthworks cannot begin until the
Federal department passes further modules. Gunns have signed a contract with Poyry, the Swedish company that
designed the mill, and have leased houses for their engineers so they obviously expect to be going ahead but, so far,
there has been no confirmation of funding, a contract with the construction company or the Gunns' Board approving the project.
The furore about the leak of toxic chemicals from the CELCO pulp mill that killed thousands of fish has involved
executives of the company.
In a Council elector poll in George Town, the place nearest where the pulp mill is supposed to built and where support
for the proposal was considered to be strongest, nearly 50% of electors who voted opposed the mill. This has got to be a
very disappointing result for supporters of the mill to get such a poor result in their heartland.
The group 'Lawyers for Forests' have started a legal battle against the Federal approval of the pulp mill on six
counts. The case will be heard on March 18th.
In a statement released at 5.20pm on a Friday afternoon, Environment Minister Peter Garrett has approved the
first two modules of the pulp mill plan. This means that Gunns can go ahead and clear the site. Another 14 modules
will require the Minister's approval before further work can be done. The wisdom of allowing Gunns to clear the site
before they have obtained the finance for the project has been questioned by environmentalists. The rumour is that
ANZ are going to say NO and that the project is going to cost more than Gunns have budgeted for.
A new study has indicated that Gunns' figures on the financial benefits of the pulp mill are extremely optimistic
and, in fact, the overall effect is more likely to be negative than positive.
A report in the Australian today says that, even with a pulp mill, competition from South America and Asia
will mean low returns for Tasmanian forestry in the future.
Former investment banker Danni Ecuyer says nobody is likely put money into the pulp mill in the present
financial meltdown:
Further delays to the approval process and finance arrangements make it more and more likely that the pulp mill
will never happen according to opponents:
The State Government has failed the transparency test again. A freedom of information request from the Greens on Gunns'
construction permits has been refused. What possible reason can there be other than they're totally inadequate?
The small group of businessmen and women called the 'Investors for the Future of Tasmania' (IFT) are calling it a day.
The group tried unsuccessfully to stop the pulp mill in court. Mill supporters may think that this is a sign that
opposition is abating but they would be wrong. The Greens, The Wilderness Society, Lawyers for Forests,Geoff Cousins and Tasmanians
against the pulp mill (TAP) are all determined the mill will not proceed. And they will have plenty of time to campaign
now that Gunns have admitted serious construction will not be for at least 6 months. It also looks increasingly improbable
that Gunns will get the finance any time soon with the current credit crisis. Gunns' board has yet to approve the mill.
If and when they do Gunns will have to disclose their loan arrangements to the stock exchange. If it gets to that point expect there
to be a massive campaign against the lenders.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett will make a decision on a permit to allow Gunns to clear the pulp mill
site at Longreach within a few days.
Gunns intend to press for initial approval from the Federal Government next week to start work on their site. However,
they admit, according to the Examiner, that construction will not start for 6 months. Gunns continues to issue statements
that contradict what they have previously said. For example - any delays beyond 1st September would make the project unviable.
News on the pulp mill has been sparse over the Christmas period but opponents such as Geoff Cousins, Danni Ecuyer, TAP (Tasmanians
against the pulp mill) and the Wilderness Society have vowed to continue the battle in 2008 with renewed vigour. A court challenge
from Lawyers for Forests is due to start in a month. There have
been rumours that the ANZ will not approve funding for the mill and/or that the chief scientist will reverse his approval in his next report
due later this month. The financial situation is not looking good for Gunns with interest rates rising and credit getting
increasingly hard to obtain. Also the price of oil is going through the roof and there is the threat of a recession in the
United States and unrest/war in the Middle East. Another factor is the possible increase in construction costs if workplace
reforms are abolished. A report has stated this could increase costs by as much as 7%. The Federal Government may take a dim
view of Gunns' breach of conditions although it was only a minor breach by a firm checking out the local water table apparently.
Gunns has completed the purchase of the land at Longreach for the pulp mill from RIO TINTO but has yet
to be granted a permit to clear the site nor has it yet signed contracts with the builder.
George Town Council are holding an elector poll on the pulp mill in the new year. It will cost $20,000 to conduct
instead of the $5000 it would have cost if conducted at the time of the Council elections. Mill opponents say
the Council is to blame as they ignored requests for an elector poll last year.
The Hobart City Council will send the results of their elector poll to Federal Ministers Penny Wong and Peter Garrett. The poll revealed
that over 75% of voters were opposed to the mill proposal and the way it was approved.
The Wilderness Society briefed the ANZ AGM on the mill today at the invitation of the ANZ CEO Mike Smith. The ANZ
chairman said that the bank had yet to decide on whether to finance the mill. The Wilderness Society said that they
could not approve the mill without breaking the
Equator Principles which the bank has signed.
The closure of a Canadian pulp mill was announced yesterday. It cannot make a profit because of the high value of the
Canadian dollar. The Australian dollar has been gaining on the American dollar in recent months.
There are rumours that the ANZ Bank will not finance the mill according to Crikey.com. This would mean Gunns
would have to look elsewhere for finance and it could mean higher interest payments and more risk.
The Wilderness Society have decided not to appeal against the decision that supported the EPBC assessment.
According to the Australian today, Gunns are on the most favoured list to buy the New Zealand timber company
Carter Holt. This company is worth more than Gunns so it is likely that there would have to a substantial
capital raising - perhaps in the form of a rights issue.
Gunns may be in for a shock when they get the quote from Leightons to build the mill:
A report today says that work on the pulp mill site may have breached the planning Ministers' conditions. Section 20 (a)
of the approval document says 'No disturbance must occur until such a time as the relevant pre-construction and construction requirements of the EIMP
have been approved by the Minister'.
A blogspot has questioned whether building the mill is a sensible economic decision and complains that Gunns Ltd AGM
was halted before this could be discussed by shareholders.
A legal challenge to the pulp mill approval decision will be submitted in Court today based on the premise that
Malcolm Turnbull had insufficient information to approve the project because the marine effluent survey and modelling
had not been completed. It will be heard on February 4th.
In a move that will please conservationists, PM elect Kevin Rudd has appointed Peter Garrett as Minister for
the Environment.
In a submission to the George Town Council for their public meeting, pulp and paper expert Dr. Warwick Raverty
warns the residents of George Town to expect the pulp mill to smell.
At a public meeting in George Town last night, a motion that called on the Council to withdraw its support for the pulp mill
was passed as well as one that called on the council to undertake a health and safety risk assessment of the project.
Gunns Ltd has offered $7 a share to purchase the 39% of Auspine that it does not own. Meanwhile, shares in Gunns Ltd
were suspended at the company's request pending an announcement on Thursday. We can only guess at the subject of the
pending announcement but it must be pretty major to suspend the shares. Are they about to pull the plug on the mill?
- Or perhaps they are going to bid for Carter-Holt, the New Zealand timber company that is for sale and that would fit
very nicely on to Gunns' existing business. It could just be to stabilise the shares until the Auspine deal is complete.
Former RPDC panel member Warwick Raverty says that the swing from the Liberals to the Greens was at least
partially caused by the pulp mill issue.
Gunns' shares fell sharply today as investors realised that the Green party would have the balance of power in the
Senate and could us this to impede the pulp mill. Greens' leader Bob Brown has called on the new Government to review
the pulp mill decision.
A huge increase in the Green vote across Tasmania shows that the opposition to the pulp mill had quite an effect.
Senator Bob Brown was elected with a full quota and it is possible that the second Greens candidate, Andrew Wilkie,
will be elected on preferences. The pulp mill backlash has almost certainly cost both Liberal sitting members
in the lower house their seats. The man who insisted that Malcolm Turnbull approved the mill, John Howard, has gone.
If he loses his seat by a small margin, it may well be that the pulp mill issue sunk him too.
Malcolm Turnbull, who is against the mill according to Geoffrey Cousins, was re-elected and may be a candidate to
be leader of the opposition.
The pulp mill issue is featured strongly in this article in one of Britain's quality daily newspapers.
The newest pulp mill in the World featuring state of the art technology has opened up in Uruguay.
There are reports of revolting smells and people ill with nausea and vomiting. Here is a transalation
of the report:
Crikey.com's Stephen Mayne said that the Gunns' AGM was the most extraordinary he had ever been to.
The High Court today rejected the Wilderness Society appeal against Malcolm Turnbull's assessment of the mill.
In Launceston today,
at Gunns' AGM, Gunns' CEO John Gay announced a reduced yearly profit of $75m. He said that he was confident that
the proposed pulp mill will be competitive and profitable. The meeting broke up in choas as Anti-pulp mill
shareholders asked Gay difficult questions and the CEO stopped the AGM without finishing the agenda.
Australian of the year, Professor Tim Flannery, says that Gunns will be lucky to find anyone to finance the mill:
Author Richard Flanagan said in his speech to 15,000 at the Hobart rally that the mill must be stopped for
Tasmania's sake:
The Wilderness Society picketted ANZ Banks today and predicted that ANZ would lose hundreds if not thousands
of accounts it it financed the mill:
Launceston City Council withdrew its support for the pulp mill project this afternoon in a vote by 7 votes to 5
reflecting the change in numbers after the Council elections.
The Age reports that financial markets are getting worried about Gunns' pulp mill project.
15,000 people demonstrated in the rain against the mill in Hobart today chanting "Pulp the mill - We can, we will".
There were speeches by Bob McMahon, Naomi Edwards, Geoffrey Cousins and Richard Flanagan. Traffic had to be halted as thousands
marched through the streets after a rally in Franklin Square.
The magazine 'Ethical Corporation' reports that institutional investors are unhappy with Gunns' pulp mill project.
Tasmanians against the pulp mill (TAP) say that they will organism the largest legal class action that Australia has
ever seen if the mill is built encompassing issues like falling house prices, lost business for tourist ventures
and prime producers and health problems.
A nationwide poll says that 52% of Australians think there should be an inquiry in to how the pulp mill
was approved. Nearly twice as many are against the mill as for it.
A Wilderness Society poll has found that 54% of Tasmanians do not want the pulp mill with 37% saying they do
and the rest with no opinion. Pressure is building on the ANZ bank not to finance the mill. The bank already has links
with a company in Papua New Guinea that has been accused of illegal logging.
A blockade continues on a bridge near a huge pulp mill in Uruguay about to start operations.