CFMEU Forestry and Furnishing Products Division National Secretary Michael O’Connor said that the Gunns pulp mill project would improve Australia’s current account by up to $500 million per year and provide well paying jobs for local people.
“The Gunns pulp mill enjoys strong support within the Tasmanian community and our position is that it is nation building infrastructure that will meet world’s best practice environmental regulations.”
“I agree with Premier Bartlett, this mill needs to be assessed on its merits and without the pressure of unrepresentative elements.”
“I would further argue that that assessment has already arguably been made in the court of public opinion by the people of Tasmania, who have indicated in poll after poll as well as at election after election that they want to see this mill go ahead.”
“The union has argued for sometime that Tasmania needs and deserves the jobs this mill will provide and the positive flow-on effects for the Tasmanian economy into the future.”
“The mill will complement Australia’s sustainable timber industry and ease our need to import timber and forest products from unsustainable sources, where environmental protections and sustainability are non existent.”
