Gunns fire blanks on pulp mill site

Despite having an in-depth report by industry guru, Robert Eastment, which nominates Bell Bay in the state's north as the most promising location, the board stayed under cover on the issue. Another proposed site is at Hampshire, south of Burnie.

In a terse two-line statement the board said, Gunns' board has not made a final decision today. It is waiting for further reports from its consultants.

The decision postpones the inevitable barrage of protests that will erupt when the announcement is made, no matter where the mill is located. Currently Gunns ships millions of tonnes of woodchips to Japan and is embroiled in litigation with a number of green activists over recent protests both here and overseas.

A further report by Finnish consultants is being considered for the mill, which according to Eastment, will need to produce 800,000 tonnes of pulp annually to be viable.

The Gunns’ pulp mill is one of two such projects under active consideration, the second being a mill at Heywood in Victoria. See www.bluelinemedia.com.au/index.cfm?art=1429&comid=1’