Hundreds have rallied outside parliament in protest of the pulp mill proposal for Tasmania's north. Source: AAP
HUNDREDS have rallied outside the Tasmanian parliament in protest at the born-again pulp mill proposal for the state's north.
As parliament reconvened in a pre-election bid to ensure the mill's future, more than 600 turned out to voice their opposition to a project that has divided the state for almost a decade.
Carrying black flags and banners accusing the state government of a "betrayal", the crowd chanted "no pulp mill" as it heard from speakers including celebrity gardener Peter Cundall.
Mr Cundall, who was arrested at an anti-mill protest in 2009, was met with cheers as he described the Tamar Valley project as a "swindle".
"We've been betrayed by the very people we pay to represent us," Mr Cundall told the crowd.
Labor Premier Lara Giddings announced two weeks ago she would recall parliament to debate a bill extending the validity of the permits for the mill until 2017.
In the same press conference, Ms Giddings announced an election date of March 15 and a split with the Greens after four years of power sharing.
The move was designed to head off a Supreme Court challenge from environmental group the Tasmanian Conservation Trust (TCT), which argues the permits expired when collapsed timber company Gunns could not start work on the $2.5 billion mill.
Gunns receivers KordaMentha say it has six buyers interested in the failed company's assets and it needs certainty to proceed.
TCT boss Peter McGlone vowed the legal fight would go on and was backed by law expert Michael Stokes.
"There should be no special deals, no changes in the law because particular special interest groups want it," Mr Stokes said.
Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim emerged from parliament furious that a no-confidence motion in the government from his party had been stonewalled.
He accused the Labor and Liberal parties of forming a "new minority government" to ram the legislation through.
Mr McKim had previously called for a referendum on the project.
The opposition says it will back the bill, but slammed the government for not bringing it on earlier.
Opponents say a pulp mill will decimate the wine and tourism industries of the Tamar Valley, north of Launceston.
They say health and economic impacts have not been assessed and 64,000 tonnes of effluent will be pumped into Bass Strait every day.
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