GUNNS PULP MILL
Speech

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (4.03 p.m.)-I move:

That there be laid on the table, no later than 4 pm on 28 August 2008, the report prepared for the Federal Government by Dr Michael Herzfeld, a Coastal Environmental Modeller with the Marine and Atmospheric Research section of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in conjunction with the Gunns Pulp Mill Independent Expert Group on the potential marine impact of effluent from the Gunns pulp mill.

Question put.

Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne today called on Environment Minister Peter Garrett to release a CSIRO report relating to Gunns' intention to dump 64,000 tonnes of effluent into Bass Strait per day and the probabilities of it exceeding the allowable effluent concentration.

Senator Milne's FOI request to release this CSIRO report was rejected on the basis that it may impact on Gunns' commercial interest, after first being blocked on the basis of exorbitant costs and bureaucratic processes.

The Australian National University's report on the role of natural forests as Australia's biggest carbon banks underscores the horror of logging in an age of climate change, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS

Office of the Chief Scientist
Discussion
03/06/2008

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says the Garrett go-ahead for bulldozing the pulp mill site is environmentally irresponsible.
"The Minister should name the land he insisted Gunns protect elsewhere as so-called offset to destruction of this habitat," Senator Brown said.
"Mr Garrett is giving Gunns options, but the affected wedge-tailed eagles and Tasmanian Devils get none. This go-ahead leads directly to the destruction of 200,000 hectares of native forests over the next 2 decades."

Greens Leader Bob Brown has questioned new Environment Minister Peter Garrett's late Friday afternoon part approval of Gunns' pulp mill proposal in Tasmania.
 
"This piecemeal process is to convenience Gunns on Minster Garrett's road to full approval of the pulp mill." 
 
"The late Friday announcement shows how embarrassed they are about this issue."
 
"They know most Tasmanians and most Australians want them to give thumbs down to the pulp mill and to save Tasmania's wild forests and the Tamar Valley farm lands."
 

Brown again calls for 10% cut in Australia's emissions by ending native forest logging

The inclusion of the CEO and deputy CEO of the National Association of Forest Industries in the Rudd government's delegation to Bali is a signal of no change from the Howard years, Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Hobart today.

"The fastest way for Australia to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10 per cent is to stop logging and burning native forests. NAFI, which fronts for Gunns and its pulp mill proposal, is there to agitate against this prudent move by Australia," Senator Brown said.

 
'Rudd should visit the Tamar Valley'
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should require his Labor MPs to visit a logged native forest in Tasmania to assess the long-term impact of Gunns pulp mill, Greens leader Bob Brown said today.
"After the two school visits and call on a shelter for homeless people, Mr Rudd should insist his caucus members get first hand experience of how a wild forest can be reduced to pulp and greenhouse gases by Gunns' logging machines," Senator Brown said.

 
 Greens Leader Bob Brown says logging the world heritage value Upper Florentine forest in central Tasmania will draw nation-wide condemnation.
 
"Sending the chainsaws into this fragile forest will be an own-goal against Gunns pulp mill which, in any case, now faces very rough waters ahead," Senator Brown said.