The Rudd Government has treated the Tasmanian community with contempt by announcing its ‘approve first, ask questions later' pulp mill policy two days after its Community Cabinet meeting in the Tamar Valley, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, said today.

Senator Milne said, "Why didn't Prime Minister Rudd and Minister Garrett have the courage to tell the Tasmanian community face to face that it intended to back Gunns regardless of the environmental consequences?

"Everyone knows that the Achilles heel of the Gunns pulp mill project is the impact of its toxic effluent on Bass Strait. The hydrodynamic modelling has always been critical and it is why Gunns has gone to such lengths to prevent the release of the Herzfeld Report, which I expect will show that it cannot meet the dilution and dispersion conditions set down by the Commonwealth.

"I have been trying to get access to the Herzfeld report since April. After I secured its release under appeal, Gunns has now delayed release at least into next year by appealing to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. It remains to be seen whether they also try to block my being joined as a party to this appeal.

"For Prime Minister Rudd and Minister Garrett to now say that they are prepared to approve the pulp mill before the hydrodynamic modelling is done is tantamount to saying that Gunns can proceed regardless of where the effluent goes or the damage it does.

"Does Minister Garrett expect anyone to believe him if he says that he will close down an operational pulp mill, if the hydrodynamic modelling demonstrates environmental damage?

"Cowardice is not an attribute that the Australian community admires, and nor is a complete cave-in to the CFMEU Forestry Division and to the industry who want more hand-outs to destroy our precious environment and the livelihoods of those engaged in fishing and tourism activities."