No matter how Gunns and others can spin it, the majority of the ordinary people, clearly,  do not want the pulp mill.

55% NO
45% YES

If everyone had of voted do you think the results would have been any different?

Robert: not quite, what the results actually show is that the majority of the “ordinary people” of West Tamar do not want a pulp mill in West Tamar. 

I’d expect this vote would include both those who did not want a pulp mill anywhere and those who wanted it, but not in their backyards.

If there was a statewide plebescite on the topic “Should Tasmania have a new pulp mill?” a yes vote would be highly likely, but you would probably get a “no” vote on the question “Should a pulp mill be built in this municipality?” almost anywhere in the state.

Despite our “leaders” throwing a truckload of dollars at a private company’s pulp mill proposal and promising the people of Tasmania the “cleanest pulp mill in the world” and “the world’s best and latest technology”, despite a pretty bus with “green economy” plastered all over it handing out balloons to the public, despite politicians saying there is 99% public support for this proposal, despite the media advertisements heaping shame on Tasmanians if they don’t support this proposal, despite the multitude of glossy brochures extolling the virtues of pulp mills, despite the stomach churning broken record vote grabbing mantra of “jobs for Tasmanians”, despite the television commercials with smiling pulp mill promoters from lands far away, despite endless rhetoric from vested interests and a DVD that shows a place where all people live in harmony with pulp mills on every corner, despite all this and so much more, the people have spoken and given a resounding “NO” to the pulp mill proposal.

Put the spin in the bin and this proposal with it and let’s move Tasmania out of the industrial age and into the modern world.

I believe Tasmania is a place that has the potential to be the best state in Australia and one of the most desirable places to live in the world. When our “leaders” listen to the people we will be free from the shackles that hold this state back.

Kevin, hope all goes well for you.

Could you give us your thoughts on this particular pulp mill proposal?

As you are a scientific person, I personally would like to see what information you can shed on this proposal, its emissions, the process and the consequences from your perspective.

Could you keep it in layman’s terms so all can benefit?

Cheers,
Dave

I’ve been putting the spin in the bin too - from both sides - and I really haven’t studied the issue in detail or formed a view for or against, Dave. 

In any case emission issues are outside my fields of experience and expertise, though I would still hopefully have the generalist science skills to knock over any obviously junk argument in that or any other scientific area. 

At the moment I’m interested in it mainly from an opinion-measurement perspective.

Thanks for the reply Kevin.
We’ll just keep watching this sorry tale roll on.
Cheers,
Dave