May 13, 2024

Vale TT founder & editor Lindsay Tuffin

It was rather a shock to learn of the death of Lindsay Tuffin, founder and editor of Tasmanian Times and previously a  journalist with The Mercury newspaper. TT as it was always known was the go-to website for those of us campaigning to stop the pulp mill that timber company Gunns was so determined to build in the Tamar Valley.


Logging on to TT was  a daily ritual, not only to check out what else might be happening in Tasmania politically, environmentally, artistically, or in any other sphere, but also to get the latest on the pulp mill. Whether for or against it the pulp mill dominated the headlines for over a decade, and Tassie Times was a forum where ideas, news and comments could be shared.  It was also the place to vent feelings (anonymously or with an alias)  and I'm sure I wasn't the only one to tell Lindsay that TT was an essential public service during those long years and probably saved people's sanity, as well as ensured queues to the psychologists were less, because we could rely on the unabridged version of whatever the politicians and Gunns were saying being on TT.  With all three of the state's newspapers: The Mercury, Examiner and Advocate openly supporting both Gunns and the pulp mill it was hard to get an unbiased and accurate account of the many side issues that emerged that involved air and water quality, pollution, forestry practices and the environmental and human health impacts, all of which came to the fore  during the campaign.

 

But when the community finally won, and Gunns went bankrupt, I renewed my acquaintance with Linz as a result of being on the board for the  Tamar Valley Writers Festival As one of the program organisers I suggested he be invited as a guest to the 2016 festival. He certainly cut a memorable figure arriving dressed in full leather bikie gear having ridden up from Hobart on his motorbike. Linz proved to be quite a character too being an erudite, witty and memorable panellist and guest during that year's Festival weekend.


Not long after that he handed the TT baton to a new owner/editor who has ensured the massive archive of content relating to the pulp mill can still be accessed. In writing my book about that time I've had occasion to refer to it on more than one occasion. So thank you Lindsay - you will be missed.


 




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Magni

Fiona's gift

By Anne Layton-Bennett • June 14, 2026
It’s taken far too many months for this marvellous model to grace the dedicated desk space in my office. When Fiona comes to visit next she will be very surprised, and hopefully gratified, that her amazing creative talent is finally on display. We’ve known each other for a very long time, and during the insanely busy time when I was helping to run the flower farm, working part-time in a school library, doing a spot of journalism on the side, and fighting the proposed pulp mill that is the subject of the manuscript I’m hoping to get published, Fiona cleaned my house each week. There’s only so much a person can do after all, and it has to be said cleaning our house during those manic years was fairly low down on the list of my priorities. But Fiona is a woman of many talents and she certainly possesses one that I so don’t have: sewing and dressmaking. So over the years she’s also made a few garments based on the pattern of a favourite garment that I was particularly fond of, and she’s also done some clothing alterations for both of us. My skills with needles and thread are limited to sewing on buttons, and taking up hems on John’s too-long pairs of jeans. Anything else is beyond me. But this fabulous model is the pièce de résistance – along with the beautiful crocheted knee warmer she gave me last year. This was when winter was approaching and so determined was I to finish writing the book, I decided to get out of bed at the insane hour of 5am and get in a solid hour’s writing in before dog walking and the demands of the day took over. Fiona was also one of many Tasmanians who needed to be circumspect about her opinion of the pulp mill. It was a project that polarised people, including families and friendships. She was one of several who passed on snippets of useful information, but on the basis of anonymity so it couldn’t be sheeted home to her.  Needless to say Fiona will be one of those whose contribution will be acknowledged – when this book is finally accepted by a publisher.

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