Welcome
The construction of a Pulp Mill in the Tamar Valley may soon commence without a mandate from the people of Australia. It is environmentally, economically and socially disastrous. For these reasons we cannot sit back and let this project start without continuing to voice our opposition. Our petitions, rallies, reports and letters have been ignored and our democracy is seriously flawed. At this stage, it is a necessary and justifiable part of the campaign to peacefully protest and engage in civil disobedience as one of the means to stopping the mill.
“Pulp the Mill” is a collective of individuals firmly committed to this positive and peaceful tactic as it becomes clear we are being left with few alternatives. We invite you to join us as a supporter, or to willingly be arrested if that is what it takes for change to come.
Parliament House
November 19th 2009
57 arrests
Over 100 Pulp the Mill supporters assembled outside Parliament House on the last sitting day of the year to demand the establishment of a Royal Commission into corruption surrounding the pulp mill process. 57 of us were arrested - including Peter Cundall.
"This is the first time I have ever broken the law or been arrested in my life. I felt compelled to do this because I feel so strongly about this issue. This stinking dirty pulp mill was approved by a stinking dirty process. This mill will never be accepted. We will never stop fighting it. We will never, ever give up," he said.
Lucy Landon-Lane, spokesperson for Pulp the Mill said "We’re here to express our outrage at the corruption and the dodgy pulp mill deal made by politicians and Gunns. We demand a Royal Commission into the project’s assessment process, because only a Royal Commission will have strong enough retrospective powers, and be specific enough, to examine the corruption that has pervaded every aspect of the approval process for the proposed pulp mill."
57 of us, of all ages and from all walks of life, were prepared to be arrested to make this positive stand and send a clear message back to potential joint venture partners and financiers of the proposed pulp mill, that the project has never been given a social licence.
Our action generated huge local and national media interest with TV coverage on all Tasmanian stations that night, most national newspapers the following day and a lengthy follow-up report on ABC news and the 7:30 report the next day.
Beaconsfield "Community Cabinet"
October 4th 2009
21 arrests
While members of TAP provided an energetic and noisy background on the street, 50 people from Pulp the Mill snuck in behind police lines to stand quietly and peacefully in front of the school building where Premier Bartlett’s farcical "community cabinet" was being held. When told we would be arrested for trespass, some left and the remaining 21 were peacefully arrested.
"The State Government is holding this community forum to hear the community’s concerns, yet it refuses to listen to community concerns about the pulp mill, and the lack of redress people will have under the Pulp Mill Assessment Act." said Lucy Landon-Lane
Everyone who was there agreed that this action showed a community united and strong in it’s determination not to allow this pulp mill to be built. Beaconsfield was where we drew OUR line in the sand.
Parliament House corruption action
27th August 2009
20 arrests
“I was afraid. I was really afraid of being arrested but I was more afraid of what might happen if I didn’t take this stand for what I believe in. Getting arrested was not as bad as I had anticipated. We were peaceful, trained and well organized, so there was no need to fear conflict. After some time of standing in the rain, a sergeant came and read a proclamation telling us to leave within the next 5 minutes or be arrested. Our dear supporters stepped aside.
The sergeant came back and warned us again, and then his team proceeded to arrest us one by one. They were polite and respectful, some even smiled! There was an air of celebration in the rain as our wonderful supporters cheered and clapped as we were led off to the paddy wagons, giving us strength and courage. Back at the station, the twenty of us who had been arrested joked and laughed as we waited to be processed and bailed. Yes we want to pulp the mill. But what are we peacefully protesting for? We are fighting for our air, for our ocean, for our forests, for our rivers, for our children, for our democracy and for our future.”
Lucy Landon-Lane
Tamar Valley farmer
“I was proud to be one of twenty Tasmanians arrested on the steps of Parliament House on the 27 August. The police were very understanding and many were sympathetic to our stand against the pulp mill. They were friendly and pleased to deal with respectful people. It was a positive, social experience - getting arrested is not so bad. The Tasmanian government is not capable of looking after our future and Tasmanians need to change this.
Quentin Wolfhagen
Tamar Valley beekeeper
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Doodlefish proudly supports Tasmanians taking a stand against the pulp mill.
