[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Pulp Mill Hangs by Wood Supply Deal Thread_N McKim MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

GUNNS' PULP MILL HANGS BY WOOD SUPPLY AGREEMENT THREAD

Bartlett's 'Line in the Sand' Depends on Terminating Deal

Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader

Friday, 21 November 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today said that in light of the problems with the
pulp mill pipeline and the confirmation by Gunns Ltd that it will not
seek an extension to the sovereign risk agreement, Premier David
Bartlett must instruct Forestry Tasmania to terminate the wood supply
agreement in accordance with his 'line in the sand' commitment.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that such a confirmation would allow
Tasmania to put the controversial pulp mill proposal behind it, and plan
for a future based on a 21st century economic direction that attracts
investment into businesses based on sustainability and environmental
restoration.

Mr McKim also said that world leaders are meeting in Poznan, Poland, in
December to determine how to best tackle climate change, and Tasmania
could be well positioned to tap into international moves for green
carbon economies if this opportunity is taken to bin the mill proposal
and re-evaluate the carbon value of the state's forests.

"If David Bartlett is serious about drawing a line in the sand he would
have the wood supply agreement cancelled, use the opportunity to
re-evaluate our forests for their carbon value, and develop a strategic
plan to take Tasmania into  a 21st century economic direction," Mr McKim
said.

 "The sovereign risk agreement was nothing more than a security blanket
for Gunns' pulp mill and the real test of David Bartlett's integrity is
the wood supply agreement which to date he has refused to cancel." 

"It is time for the community to be able to put this poisonous and toxic
mill proposal behind us and move forward to a Tasmania based on a 21st
century economy, not the 20th century."

"We need to end the division caused by this pulp mill proposal, and it
is time to move together into the 21st century."

 "All the cards are stacking up against this pulp mill and the only
thing keeping it alive is David Bartlett's refusal to terminate the wood
supply agreement."

"This is a matter of public policy, and it is not good enough for key
elected Ministers such as David Bartlett, David Llewellyn and Michael
Aird to wash their hands of this responsibility and allow Forestry
Tasmania to dictate public policy."

"Forestry Tasmania is a state-owned Government Business Enterprise and
the shareholder Ministers can and must direct the corporation to cancel
the wood supply deal if the Premier is to keep his 'line in the sand'
promise to the Tasmanian community," Mr McKim said.





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