"It is outrageous if Gunns knows what's in this report but not other stakeholders" - Brown
Gunns has itself to blame for failing, over the last 4 years, to do Bass Strait studies essential to working out where its toxic pulp mill effluent will spread, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
"It is outrageous if the Minister has discussed the contents of the Chief Scientist's report with Gunns but not the community stakeholders like the vineyards, organic farms, tourist outlets and fishing industry in the Tamar Valley," Greens Leader Bob Brown said.
"Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull cannot give the go-ahead for this polluting mill until those studies, reportedly called for by Chief Scientist Jim Peacock, are done. The whole point of an environmental impact assessment is to get the information before making a decision.
"For Turnbull to say 'start building the mill and then complete your assessment' would be like saying 'here's your licence – now go out and show us you can drive'. It would be a travesty of commonsense and the nation's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) which makes the precautionary principle central to these decisions," Senator Brown said.
"The Howard Government must also insist the Chief Scientist assess the impact on forests, wildlife and the air 100,000 people in the Tamar Valley breathe before the mill decision is made," Senator Brown said.
Today, the Greens candidates for Turnbull's seat of Wentworth, Susan Jarnason, and for Peter Garrett's adjacent Sydney seat of Kingsford Smith, Sue Mahony, are touring the Tamar Valley and clearfell logging operations, with Bass candidate Tom Millen.
Senator Brown will join them for a press conference in Launceston at 2:15pm.
 
Further information: Prue Cameron 0408 473 379