Planning versus power: udTasmania’s forest policy network and Gunn’s Tamar Valley pulp mill

摘要

When Gunns announced its intention to build a pulp mill at Bell Bay in NorthernudTasmania in mid-2004, it plunged the state into a socio-political crisis from which itudhas yet to recover. The proposal has re-opened the state’s forest wars—barely healedudfrom the bruising battle over the state’s Regional Forestry Agreement (RFA)—furtherudpolarising the community. As each faction battles forudthe hearts and minds of ‘ordinary’ Tasmanians, the truism that truth is its first victimudof warfare is once again illustrated. For the past five years Tasmanians have beenudbombarded with claims and counterclaims concerning the pulp mill’s economic,udsocial and environmental impacts (i.e. via the Government sponsored Pulp Mill TaskudForce newsletters and contributors to the online newspaper Tasmanian Times). Audconcerted media blitz by the government, Gunns and unions spruiking the mill’sudbenefits has been countered by a diverse array of sources ranging fromudconservationists to religious figures to academics.