The Gunnerment is a term coined to describe the apparent close relationship between both of Tasmania's major political parties and the state's major forestry company. With both Labor and the Liberals receiving substantial political donations from this business, many are skeptical as to why both sides of politics consistently vote in ways greatly favourable to it but against public opinion and, many would argue, against the public interest.
Perhaps the greatest illustration of this is the passing of special legislation to remove the company's controversial proposal to build a pulp mill from the state's planning system and give it its own fast track process. The company argued that this was necessary due to the delays being caused by the state's Resource Planning and Development Commission. However, it has since failed to meet any other deadlines at both the state and federal levels, thus demonstrating its earlier arguments to be invalid. The move by then Premier, Paul Lennon, to transfer the pulp mill assessment from the RPDC to its own special process has since spawned several other controversies including allegations of interference in the appointment of a judge, with former Attorney General, Steve Kons, forced to resign his position having been caught lying to parliament over the matter. With the state of Tasmania apparently being either run by Gunns or for the benefit of Gunns, disaffected Tasmanians refer to their parliament as The Gunnerment.
|
