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12 December 2007

December 14th, 2007
Protests have been held at ANZ branches around Australia and New Zealand to highlight the bank's funding of the destruction of forests in Tasmania and PNG.

The protests also highlighted the ANZ's potential financing of the Gunns pulp mill in Tasmania.

The ANZ is making a decision right now as to whether they will finance the mill, which will add 2% to Australia's greenhouse emissions each year. Send them a message today to help them make the right decision.

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Michael Angel
December 13th, 2007

The Tasmanian Pulp Mill

Look while I think the Tamar Valley in Tasmania is not the best place for a pulp mill.
AND
I don't trust Gunns to be environmentally responsible.

Aren't we just duck shovelling?

We will have to import our paper from somewhere.
Some poor hovel in Indonesia or China where we have no control over how it is produced.
Why should we sell them wood-chips and pulp?

It is a bit like selling uranium without controls.
Aren't we better making paper here where we can control its poisoning of the planet?
Or
Who is going to be the first to renounce paper of all forms?
SEE
View topic - Medicinal plants and toilet paper - Permaculture discussion forum
:)

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KayL
December 13th, 2007

On the ANZ site at http://www.anz.com/aus/about/Feedback.asp, customers can provide direct feedback to ANZ. Details of the ANZ evaluation can be found at the Corporate Responsibility section -- http://www.anz.com/aus/About-ANZ/Corporate-Responsibility/Current-Issues.asp

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Ian Milne
December 13th, 2007

Not everyone is against the pulp mill. Whilst having some concerns about the process we need some big industry in Tasmania to provide employment directly and through companies that supply goods and services.

The green vote in Bass was 15% and voting that way was mooted as against the mill. What about the 85% of voters that did not vote green? There is a substantial silent majority there.

I live in the Northern Suburbs of Launceston so any air pollution will affect me. Both sides have come out with all sorts of statistics and how can anyone without scientific training understand what is true or untrue.

The Greens would shutdown the state if they ever got into power. Tasmania is already the state with the lowest wages and largest percentage of welfare recipients.

I am contacting the ANZ bank to support Gunns and finance the mill

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Kyle
December 14th, 2007

I wrote a bit of a tirade to ANZ the other day, which was similar to my comment I sent to Malcolm Turnbull's office on the subject of the mill. To my surprise though, I received a reply this time. As to be expected, it's quite ambiguous and non-committal. I've pasted the text here:

Dear Sir/Madam

Re Proposed Pulp Mill, Tamar Valley Tasmania

Thank you for your correspondence. We appreciate the time you have taken to raise your concerns with us. I am responding on ANZ’s behalf.

ANZ has not made a decision on whether to finance the project and will only do so once we have considered our client’s proposed compliance with all government conditions.

The Tasmanian Parliament approved a permit for the mill on 30 August, which contains detailed operating conditions for the project.

The Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Resources approved the project under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 on 4 October, subject to Gunns Limited satisfying 48 conditions. The conditions include effluent management measures and protection of wildlife and vegetation.

In addition, we have committed to applying the Equator Principles to our decision. The Equator Principles are a set of internationally recognised standards designed to ensure participating banks make financing decisions based on sound social and environmental standards.

The Principles require us to ensure there have been comprehensive social and environmental assessments of the project and that the client has prepared an action plan which contains mitigation measures, corrective actions and monitoring measures to manage the issues identified by the assessment. We have engaged an independent environmental expert to assist us with this process.

In summary, we will only fund the mill once we are assured that:

o all potential significant social and environmental issues have been identified;
o measures to manage these are put in place by the client; and
o the regulating governments are satisfied with these measures.

In doing so, we will be taking into account the views of a wide range of stakeholders, including those who have raised concerns about the potential social and environmental impact of the proposal.

Our approach is set out on our website at www.anz.com/aus/About-ANZ/Corporate-Responsibility/Environment/Current-Issues.asp . Please visit the above web page for any updates as this issue progresses.

If you would like to discuss this issue further, please do not hesitate to contact me on 03 9273-4991.

Yours sincerely

Gerard Brown
Group General Manager Corporate Affairs

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Faye Ure
December 14th, 2007

We are using more paper now than ever before....we once used the telephone, now we have computers and print out.....definately no paper from native forests...plantations OK, but not in the Tamar Valley...Was there not an area further up from the Valley suggested by some old locals??? I think this should all be considered by the ANZ before offering funding to Gunn's..I am 73 yo...with 10 grandchildren so I am interested in what happens.

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Rhonda
December 15th, 2007

The Anz cannot possibly support the Gunns mill. Particularly when world leaders have met in Bali to discuss and try to turn the threat to the world climate change presents.

To finance the pulp mill at such a time would take all environmental credibility off the ANZ

I believe the Gunns company are without ethics.

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Wombat 007
January 1st, 2008

I was proud to be one of the group who protested outside the ANZ Bank in Martin Place Sydney on December 12. It was quite distressing to experience the disdain of some of the suited businessmen who strode past and ignored us. Climate change is affecting us all, so we all need to do everything we can to protect our forests which are carbon sinks. I will be appalled if ANZ decides to fund the Tamar pulp mill. Wombats of the world unite and get active!

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B Frey
January 8th, 2008

What is happening with this now ? I have not been able to establish whether ANZ has decided to go ahead with funding the mill or not. Is anyone out there the wiser ?

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Russell Langfield
January 23rd, 2008

Ian Milne,
The only reason why we here in Tasmania are so far behind the eight ball economically is because every political and industry decision has been monopolised by one company and the two political parties it has controlled for years which has stagnated every other industry in the process.

Wake up!

You were probably one of those who fought tooth and nail not to have 7-day trading. You probably thought going to buy a new replacement ferry and coming back with three white elephants instead was a good idea too.

There are less jobs in forestry now than there have ever been in our entire history.

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Russell Langfield
January 23rd, 2008

The forestry industry is a backward as the woodchopping and penny farthing races still being 'highlighted' at the Tasmanian shows.

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Phil
January 31st, 2008

I will change all my ANZ banking to another bank ...unacceptable to the environment.

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Josie
February 28th, 2008

I received the same letter as Kyle (below). I followed it up by checking the website pages and reports and by trying to phone Mr Brown, but do you think you can speak with Mr Brown - I got the same response as the letter - in message format. so far the bank seems entirely unphased by threats of customers leaving the bank - I think they assume it is all talk, people can't really be bothered with the upset of changing banks. Perhaps we need to start the ball rolling - dump your ANZ accounts and let them know that people are serious. Your fees could be funding this.

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Diana
May 19th, 2008

The destruction of forests should be minimized. No bank or other company should be financing detructive enviromental projects.

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whats the latest?
May 20th, 2008

Can someone please tell us what is the latest on this issue. Have Gunns started developing the site yet? Has the ANZ Bank approved their loan? I hope not on both counts.

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