Court challenge over pulp mill

The Wilderness Society (TWS) has taken Malcolm Turnbull, the federal environment minister, and logging giant Gunns Ltd to court in an attempt to stop a pulp mill being built in Tasmania's Tamar Valley.

The case is based on the illegitimacy of Gunns withdrawing its pulp mill project from the Resource Planning and Development Commission, the independent assessment body that any development of state significance must go through for approval. Turnbull then decided that this action was legal.

TWS argues that the federal government has violated the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act by allowing Gunns to escape the assessment process. The group is organising a rally to reject the pulp mill's fast-tracking. It will be held at noon on Saturday June 16, in Launceston's City Park.

From GLW issue 710