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Tasmania's Tamar Valley pulp mill: a comparison of planning processes using a good environmental governance framework

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 23:25 authored by Frederick GaleFrederick Gale
In November 2004, the Tasmanian government requested the state's planning body, the Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC), to undertake an evaluation of a proposal to establish a pulp mill at Long Reach near Bell Bay on Tasmania's Tamar Estuary. In early 2007, Gunns Limited, the project's proponent, pulled out of the RPDC process and the government established an alternative, 'fast-track' process under the Pulp Mill Assessment Act (PMAA). This article evaluates the RPDC and the PMAA assessment processes using a 'good environmental governance' framework composed of eight criteria - transparency, accountability, openness, balance, deliberation, efficiency, science and risk. The comparison reveals that although the RPDC process fell short of the ideal, it was markedly superior to the PMAA process that replaced it. The case highlights how political economic power can be used to the detriment of public planning and the communities and environment that rely on it.

History

Publication title

Australian Journal of Public Administration

Volume

67

Pagination

261-282

ISSN

0313-6647

Department/School

School of Social Sciences

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing

Place of publication

Australia

Rights statement

Copyright 2008 The Author Journal compilation copyright 2008 National Council of the Institute of Public Administration Australia

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Environmental protection frameworks (incl. economic incentives)

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