Getting dismissed by Gunns in 2005
January 13, 2008
This article by Nick Clarke appeared in The Hobart Mercury on October 28, 2005, after the Gunns board tilt.
It was expected that Gunns' plummeting share price and the proposed pulp mill would be raised at the company's annual meeting in Launceston yesterday. They were, but the appearance of the wife of one of the so-called Gunns 20 at the meeting was unexpected. Leonie Pullinger, of Burnie, told the meeting of the effect the Gunns writ has had on her husband, Peter, and their family.
``The whole family [three sons and a daughter] is affected and has been brought into the stress and anxiety that a case imparts on the family,'' she said.
``I asked the board if they were familiar with the backgrounds of the people involved, and I thought today I could put the case forward for my family and what effect it is having on our family life.''
Mrs Pullinger said her husband had campaigned about saving the Tarkine forest. He is alleged to have attended and organised meetings and had people to stay at his home, she said.
``Mr Gay had made it clear to the press that he would not change his position but maybe today, actually seeing me face to face, he may consider a change,'' she said.
After the meeting Gunns executive chairman John Gay said he was very sorry Mrs Pullinger had been affected.
``I have the same feeling for her as I have for my family and my employees. The green movement have done enormous damage to families and employees of this company,'' he said.
``My own family have had phone calls annoying them and saying nasty things to them, and letters. I'm very sorry that she is in there, but they should have thought about what they did before they did it.''
Mr Gay did not believe the law case was a reason for the negative sentiment about Gunns.
Its share price has fallen from $4.80 to $2.80 since November last year, slicing market capitalisation below $1 billion.
Rebel shareholder Stephen Mayne said Mr Gay acknowledged to the meeting that negative publicity was driving the share price down.
``The way the company is so adversarial with its stakeholders . . . and he admitted this was contributing to the share price weakness,'' Mr Mayne said.
Mr Mayne, who failed in a bid to get on the board, said Mr Gay had strongly defended the lawsuit.
``But then he said that adverse publicity is driving down the share price and a lot of that has come from the frivolous and unnecessary lawsuit,'' he said.
Mr Gay dismissed Mr Mayne as trying to gain publicity for the website Crikey.com.
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