"We are making sure we are able to understand future directions of the industry because so many jobs depend on it,'' he said. The pulp and paper sector has revenue of about $8 billion, and employs 16,000 people in direct jobs and twice as many indirectly. There are about 20 pulp and paper mills in Australia, owned by eight companies. Gunns plans a $2.2 billion pulp mill in the Bell Bay industrial zone in northern Tasmania, and expects to make a statement on funding the mill by the end of this month. The pulp mill is expected to create more than 1600 jobs once operational and could triple Gunns' earnings by adding value to woodchip exports. Australia produces most of the packaging and industry paper, newsprint and tissue paper consumed domestically, but only 40 per cent of its high-quality printing and writing paper.