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 20/09/07 Ask new ANZ CEO not to support Gunn's pulp mill ; Letter From :- Luke Chamberlain, TWS; Tasmania; Sept 07

National News 18/09/07 128 scientists voice mill fears; Andrew Darby, The Age Tasmania; Sept 07

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Letter From :- Luke Chamberlain
Victorian Forest Campaigner
The Wilderness Society
Level 2, 288 Brunswick St
Fitzroy VIC 3065

The Wilderness Society, in conjunction with BankTrack (a network of 23 international civil society organisations tracking private finance) and Rainforest Action Network, has launched www.tellmrsmith.org — an online cyberaction asking the new Director of ANZ, Mike Smith, not to support Gunns’ destruction of Tasmania’s native forests or its proposed pulp mill.

Mr Smith is a man with an extraordinary task. He will assume the role of ANZ’s Chief Executive Officer from October 1st and will take responsibility for ANZ’s environmental and social impacts. Mr Smith arrives at a time when ANZ is heavily involved with Gunns Ltd and its controversial pulp mill. If the mill were to proceed, it would spell disaster for one of the world's great natural areas, dramatically increasing logging and burning of native forest, and putting deadly chemicals from the mill’s chlorine-based bleaching process into Tasmania's waters.

Mr Smith was CEO of HSBC when in 2004 they were one of four international banks which founded the Equator Principles. The Equator Principles are a financial industry benchmark for determining, assessing and managing social & environmental risk in project financing. An analysis of Gunns’ pulp mill proposal and the assessment process were found not to meet the Equator Principles from an assessment done by BankTrack

Since 1995 ANZ has provided crucial financial services to Gunns. Today ANZ provides the company with secured bank loans with a current debt thought to be more than AU$300 million (US$250 million). In respect of the pulp mill, ANZ is understood to have advised on the project and is also the lead arranger of finance. Further, Gunns’ management states that ANZ is certain to provide project finance, underwrite the mill, and that the bank has already arranged export credit deals from Europe.

Mr Smith can put a halt to the project or help it move to a greener technology in a better location, based only on existing plantations. Mr Smith should ensure that the Equator Principles are met for Gunns’ proposed pulp mill. He can prevent widespread impacts by ending support for the destruction of Tasmania’s native forests and Gunns’ proposed Bell Bay pulp mill.

Take Action: Send Mr Smith the cyberaction now!

For more information, please contact:

Paul Oosting

Pulp Mill Campaigner

Email Paul Oosting

Workphone: (03) 63 31 74 88

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128 scientists voice mill fears

Andrew Darby, The Age
September 18, 2007

SCIENTISTS' fears about environmental approval for the Gunns pulp mill are growing, along with concerns about the Tasmanian Government's strengthening links with the forest industry.

A statement signed by 128 scientists demands a new assessment of the $1.7 billion mill, which they say poses a high risk to the environment.

Federal Government Chief Scientist Jim Peacock took evidence yesterday from project critics ahead of his report to federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull, which could be completed within a week.

Concerns focus on the impact on Bass Strait of 64,000 tonnes of effluent being dumped each day. Oceanographer Stuart Godfrey and two other scientists told Dr Peacock's committee that toxic effluent would wash ashore.

Dr Godfrey also signed the statement, which said Gunns and the Tasmanian Government had failed to properly assess the impact of the pulp mill's effluent on the marine environment and the Tamar estuary.

Among the 128 signatories are scientists across a range of disciplines, including Dr Keith Sainsbury, who in 2004 won the Japan Prize, the world's highest honour for ecology and sustainability research.

A specialist on Tamar fish, Francisco Neira, said: "Impacts of the pulp mill's requirement for 4½ million tonnes of wood per annum have not been assessed. Resultant impacts on biodiversity and water are therefore unknown."

The call to Mr Turnbull for a new assessment has been made despite approval of the project by the Tasmanian Parliament last month, when it accepted Premier Paul Lennon's advice that the mill was environmentally safe.

Mr Turnbull is expected to make a decision by October 11.

Gunns claims the appeal by the scientists is little more than another delaying tactic. "Are they seeking additional research grants?" it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Premier yesterday announced that the state's new top public servant would be a former chief of Forestry Tasmania, Evan Rolley. Greens leader Bob Brown said: "This is a … pro-pulp mill appointment.

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