A huge dust storm blanketed large areas of Australia’s southeastern coast last Wednesday, covering cities and towns in the states of New South Wales and Queensland, before moving out to sea towards New Zealand.
In one of its final announcements before calling the federal election, the Howard government pushed through approval for Gunns Ltd, a major timber corporation, to build a controversial $1.7 billion pulp mill near Launceston in northern Tasmania. Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull attempted to put the best possible spin on the decision. He was relying, he declared, on the recommendations of the government’s chief scientist, which would impose “the toughest environmental conditions on a pulp mill, anywhere in the world”.
