Mike Bolan Addresses the Issue of the Gunns Draft Integrated Impact Statement.

Introduction: Mike Bolan addressed and workshoped the GUNNS IIS at the TAP (Tasmanians Against Pulpmill) at one of the group's now regular fortnightly meetings – 7pm Thursday June 20 Riverside West Tamar Council Chambers.

Mike is a complex systems consultant & strategist with worldwide experience at all levels of organization. The largest project he has been engaged in was worth 1.5 billion dollars – a project now worth 5 billion dollars

Mike asked and garnered questions to do with the GUNNS' IIS and how to evaluate current situation! Questions such as:
• What are the community impacts?
• Where is the evidence based analysis?
• Where is the simple presentation of independent research outcomes?

What is the current situation?
• The community is uninformed about the proposed mill’s impacts!
• The Community has had no real input!
• There is a total bias in favour of proponent!
• The Laws have been changed for convenience of Gunns!
• The IIS impossible to respond to!

What can be done?
• Inform the community about possible impacts – Digital systems offers a way forward!
• Demand representation by governments and governance – Local, State & Federal!
• Represent yourselves and build social networks!
• Create new information pathways – Websites et al!

Who might help?
• Anyone adversely affected by the proposal!
• Your local businesses!
• Local residents and their networks!
• Individuals and organisations interested in free markets!
• The Free Trade Association!
• The Competition Council!
• The Stock Exchange!

Evaluating the IIS: Ask yourself, your friends, your neighbours, whoever, does it adequately deal with potential concerns? • Pollution • Toxins • Effect on ecologies • Traffic • Water • Legal • Business continuity, survival and insurance • Property values • Service access (e.g. trades) • Nature of democracy in Tasmania • Access to forests • Tourism industry impacts • Impacts on rural centres (their cash flow) • Instability of the proposal • Potential changes of corporate ownership

If the answers to questions tend come up on the negative side, then guarantees should be insisted upon! After all, if Gunns’ management is actually confident about their proposal then there should be no problem in providing hard and fast guarantees to their shareholders and the Tasmanian community alike!

Why Gunns management shouldn’t prepare the IIS
• They are not authorised to care for the public!
• They are only authorised to make profits!
• They have a vested, conflict of interest!
• They do not have the expertise to define impacts!

Who should prepare the IIS? An independent party that represents the community and one that has the requisite expertise.

OTHERWISE THERE ARE TOO MANY RISKS!!

To contact Mike Bolan email mbolan@tpg.com.au

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