[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_West Tamar Council Blocks Gunns' Pipeline Push_K Booth MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

WEST TAMAR COUNCIL REJECTS PUBLIC LAND GRAB FOR PRIVATE PULP MILL

Courageous Councillors Deserve Congratulation

Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Pulp Mill Spokesperson

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

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today congratulated the West Tamar Council after
Councillors voted 8-0 against allowing a private easement on Council
land for a water and effluent pipeline to Gunns' proposed Tamar Valley
Pulp Mill.

Greens Shadow Pulp Mill spokesperson Kim Booth MP said the majority of
people in the region are against a pulp mill in the Tamar Valley and it
was heartening to see their local government representatives acting
courageously and supporting the wishes of their local residents in
rejecting Gunns' pipeline easement.

Greens Member for Bass Kim Booth MP and Greens Shadow Water Spokesperson
Tim Morris MP said they were both very impressed by the courage of the
West Tamar Councillors, especially Greens Councillor Karl Stevens who
sought out crucial alternative legal advice on the legality of the
easement. Mr Booth and Mr Morris also praised the local anti-pulp mill
group Tasmanians Against the Pulp Mill, and their spokesperson Bob
McMahon, for their consistent, and consistently peaceful, demonstrations
against the polluting mill and its associated pipeline.

"The West Tamar Council's comprehensive rejection, 8-0, of the plan to
give away public land for a private project is a small but significant
step towards restoring public faith in our democratic institutions and
processes," said Mr Booth.  

"Courageous action like this throws the spotlight directly onto the
cowardly state Liberal and Labor MPs who voted to ram the odious and
ultimately unnecessary Pulp Mill Assessment Act 2007 through Parliament
last year only to find they had been dudded by fake timelines and faux
urgency." 

"Granting public land for a private investment that is still shrouded by
uncertainty is not a prudent action, and the West Tamar Council is to be
commended for its responsible protection of ratepayer amenity in this
matter."

"West Tamar Councillors have stared down Gunns Limited, the Bartlett
Labor Government and a host of pro-forestry organisations and
individuals in taking this step, but they have clearly represented their
ratepayers and that is a big victory for democracy in this state," said
Mr Booth.




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