Tarkine Picture: Nicole Anderson
Peter Whish-Wilson picutre by Chris Crerar
Although not found on maps, mention of the name evokes images of wilderness and primordial rainforest. It is hard to overstate how rare such places are in our global society – special enough for the Tasmanian Government to spend a considerable sum promoting the Tarkine brand.
Equally, many Tasmanians want, and deserve, the area to add to our collective economic prosperity. The present debate revolves around conflicting visions for achieving that prosperity.
On the one hand, some – such as Paul Howes, and the Liberal and Labor parties – argue this can only occur through industrial-scale forestry and open-slather mining.
On the other hand, rests the Greens’ vision for building economic activity through protecting much of the Tarkine and achieving a heritage listing. Protection doesn’t have to occur at the expense of the economy, the existing mining jobs, or even some new ones.
We, the Greens, support the continuing operation of Savage River and Rosebery mines – and this is reflected through their excision from the present National Heritage Listing application.
We also support conflict-free mining proposals such as at Luina – which would create about 200 jobs through the re-working of tailings that presently leach into the White River – which is also excised from the listing proposal. The Luina proposal is consistent with World Heritage obligations that provide for certain remediation activities of degraded areas.
We also support the continued expansion of Tarkine-based tourism, already growing rapidly, and linking it with other experiences including Cradle Mountain and Strahan.
Although not the only important sector in the economy, no-one can deny the value of the tourism industry to Tasmania, much of which is underpinned by an attraction to the spirit of our rare and wild places. These places only exist today because of significant, hard fought and won conservation outcomes – from Cradle Mountain, through to the campaign to protect the Franklin River and how it transformed Strahan into a tourism hub.
Someone needs to stand up for the environment, and be mindful that actions and policy should be of benefit to not only us, but also our grandchildren.
Today, the ongoing value of our special places to Tasmania’s economy – places in existence thanks to the actions of Christine Milne and many others – is all the evidence you need that a long-term approach is the key to sustainable prosperity.
We can get the balance right with a proposed heritage listing for the Tarkine, a view that independent polling has shown 72 per cent of the voters in Braddon support.
What the Greens do not support are highly divisive and environmentally questionable short-term projects, such as Venture Minerals’ three proposed mines in the Meredith Ranges. Venture’s mines would employ a similar number of people to the conflict-free Luina tailings proposal, yet would leave a significant negative environmental legacy and further fracture already divided local communities.
Apart from the obvious environmental impacts associated with open-cut mines in the Tarkine rainforest, proposals such as Venture’s are short-sighted and would destroy the area’s future economic potential. Herein lies the fatal flaw with a 1950s economic approach to the Tarkine.
Venture’s three proposals have a life-span of between two-to-ten years, potentially making their Western Australian directors wealthy men, along with the institutional shareholders.
And, while Venture’s proposals would employ people – directly and indirectly – in an area with high unemployment, low literacy and numeracy rates (along with many other socio-economic problems), let’s be honest about how many… and how long for
It was recently reported in the Advocate that a Tasmanian Treasury report estimated the North West of Tasmania loses, on average, 50 jobs per week.
Based on this, Venture’s mines would stem the flow of job losses for one month.
But then what?
What happens when the commodity price inevitably falls and a mine closes in, say, three years – or possibly less?
The region isn’t even back to square one: it will have another environmental legacy to deal with and the same socio-economic problems as it had before the ‘Tinman’ came to town offering to cure the region’s ills.
If the West and North West of Tasmania are to prosper – and we all want that – then a more forward-thinking, long-term approach is required.
True – mining and industry has its place; but without economic diversification and better education outcomes, the region will continue to suffer in the wake of the demise of old industries such as the Burnie pulp mill and Tioxide.
Someone better placed than most to comment on this issue with authority is Mr Scott Jordan from the Tarkine National Coalition (TNC). Scott has been working ceaselessly for years, liaising with community, environmental, tourism and industrial stakeholders in the Tarkine in an attempt to find some common ground, of which he states there’s a great deal.
A little-known fact about Scott is that he has also spent 15 years working with disadvantaged youth as part of his role as a community development worker in Burnie. It’s a position that has afforded him a first-hand view of than happens when old industries inevitably fail and how the region’s youth pay the highest price – in part because low literacy and numeracy skills leave them ill-prepared to adapt to the changing demands of a diversified economy.
As part of Scott’s desire to meet with all stakeholders, I brokered a meeting with Paul Howes from the Australian Workers’ Union, a man who represents the majority of miners on the West Coast. While Paul and Scott obviously hold divergent views on Venture Minerals, both support protection of the Tarkine.
The meeting was the first face-to-face meeting between the TNC and the AWU, and it allowed Scott to correct some misconceptions around the debate that have been spread by Howes. Misconceptions such as: the TNC wants to close existing mines; is opposed to all proposed mines; and that proposed new mines should only account for 0.8% of the area nominated for protection.
At the meeting, and again shortly afterwards, Scott was able to provide Paul with evidence to correct these misconceptions. For some reason, Mr Howes continues to promote these misconceptions. It’s yet to be seen if Mr Howes corrects the public record when he speaks in Burnie on the weekend – but I hope he will.
As was explained to Mr Howes, Venture’s initial three mines are to operate within an area of 388 square kilometres, which equates to 8.8% of the listing nomination. This fails to include the future mining proposals they are presently progressing. Venture is on record that they are working toward a total of seven mines in the vicinity of the Meredith Ranges. This figure also doesn’t include other mining and exploration companies, such as Shree Minerals at Nelson River ,or the approximately 50 other exploration licences.
The last thing Tasmania needs is more conflict. What good comes from whipping up fear and anger on the North West Coast through the use of inflammatory language and the promotion of information already proven to be incorrect?
And, all the while, Bryan Green continues to invite more exploration companies to the region while his federal Labor counterparts continue to drag their feet following the expiration of the emergency heritage listing. The federal ALP continues to make motherhood statements that it’s acting to protect the Tarkine, while its lack of action betrays its true intent.
This is why the Greens have stood up to give the Tarkine, and those who want to see it protected, a voice that is capable of drowning out the din of the drill rigs ringing in the ears of the Labor Party.
The Tarkine is too precious to lose, especially just to make a quick buck, and the Greens will continue to give a parliamentary voice who those who feel the same way.
Advocate:
• Voices unite in opposition to mining
• Chance to take a stand
• Burnie rally draws 3000
ABOUT 3000 people have turned out in support of new Tarkine mining, delighting union organisers.
The big and enthusiastic crowd at this morning’s Our Tarkine, Our Future rally in Burnie thrilled Australian Workers Union secretary Paul Howes.
He compared the rally attendance to a reported attendance of about 10 at a recent Tarkine National Coalition event, saying it showed a vast majority of Tasmanians wanted ‘‘a sensible solution.’‘
‘‘For too long the Greens have been going to Canberra saying they would represent the majority of Tasmanians.’‘
Feeling at the rally was strongly behind the AWU’s argument that proposed new mines and environmental values could co-exist in the Tarkine.
The Gillard Government is under environmentalist pressure to national heritage list the Tarkine as approval decisions for mining projects loom.
Rosebery miner Mal Jago, who spoke at the rally said afterwards the environmentalist opposition to all new mines in the Tarkine would be the start of the end of all mining in Tasmania if it was successful, as existing mines could not last much longer.
He told the rally the Rosebery mine had not ‘‘raped and pillaged the environment.’‘
‘‘We’ve had a balance for 100 years.’‘
‘‘We’ve planted more trees,’’ he said, to loud applause.
“I wouldn’t live anywhere else.’‘
He urged the crowd to make votes count when elections came around.
AWU state secretary Ian Wakefield said the attendance was beyond his wildest dreams.
Braddon Labor MHR Sid Sidebottom said the activities deemed ‘‘old economy’’ by environmentalists had looked after the Tarkine so well for generations that it was now being pushed as ‘‘pristine and virginal and wilderness.’‘
Circular Head deputy mayor John Oldaker got one of the biggest cheers when he said if Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim ‘‘thinks he can lock up everything up’’ he should move a vote of no confidence in the state government and force an election.
He said the people were saying they wanted an election and majority government and most importantly for MPs to do what the public wanted.
Read more in Monday’s Advocate.
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Comments (20)
Its time to make Tasmania a national park. Its just too expensive to have a small number of people in Tassy. They can never pay for themselves and the environment is far more important than humans. Better to keep it for future generations with strict access rules. Cut the whole thing down to a few hundred park rangers.
Great article. Always the voice of reason.
Dear Water Wizard
Perhaps you forget that without a clean, diverse environment humans will cease to exist. Already we have poisoned and polluted our planet to the point of no return. We simply do not have another one to move on to. Development at any cost, population growth, economic growth and the definition of profit - these paradigms will have to change if future generations are to survive. Thankfully people like Senator Wish-Wilson are thinking beyond the next pay cheque. Perhaps you should do the same.
I’m not quite sure whether #1 is being tongue in cheek or serious? But they are correct that the environment is more important than humans. It is what sustains us and we have deomnstrated quite well that we are very poor at sustaining it.
The rest is just tosh and reminiscient of the old moan about “the last one leaving turning the light off”
We are merely in a transition phase that has been stymied at every turn by the naysayers and Hanrahans of this world who poo-poo any change or attempt at sustainability. Tasmania is perfectly capable of sustaining ourselves with smart, clean industry, transparency, exposure of corruption and even smarter policy but sadly we are still suffering the effects of the historical brain drain. Those (very generally speaking) who got fed up with the lack of change and half-wit running of the place largely left and the ones who fear change and actively promote the status quo largely stayed. So what do we have? A few dedicated and evolved apes constantly still doing battle with bloody minded dinosaurs.
There’s another saying that says its hard to soar like an eagle when you are surrounded by turkeys.
At least some are trying. Excellent article PWW. It all seems pretty reasonable and logical to me.
Water, the world needs more habitat protection to stem the tide of biodiversity loss. When we look beyond the tunnel vision of TAS politics and federal attempts to appease the mega rich but mega destructive industries, there is genuine scientific concern over the stability of the human race as these effects compound. National parks are a part of this. In this day and age, the more the better I think. Protecting biodiversity protects humans in he long run.
I see that are all agreed that the environment is more important than humans.
Second we must agree that Tasmania has been a claimant state for over 90 years and as such, has for every Tasmanian alive today, NEVER paid for itself.
This positions has actually been getting worse over the last twenty years.
Nor is Tasmania’s population increasing. Its also aging.
Its no good trying to blame a government for this position. They are the only thing stopping Tasmania facing financial oblivion.
No, I don’t think forestry or pouring tailings down the nearest river is a good solution. The propaganda that Tasmania is somehow a tourist mecca for the rich Chinese middle class is not going to make it happen.
Equally being an environmentalist for the sake of it rather than realizing that there is a worldwide recession coming and no-one owes Tassy a living, means we had better get on with some solutions that enable the Tasmanian economy to grow beyond government subsidies, fox scams and trees that are now not only worthless but cost money to maintain.
At present Tasmania is transitioning to economic oblivion.
There is still one monster loose in the Tarkine that does as much damage as the mining industry. Yep our old mates in the Forest Mining industry.
If you saw the articles that I have posted on the destruction that has taken place down the Blackwater Road, Frankland River and South Arthur river area you would see that FT have been doing their best to trash the wilderness values of the Tarkine for ages.
They take a rainforest with an overstory of senescent eucalypts, flatten it, burn it and sow eucalypt seeds or worse as they did in the not so distant past put in e.nitens plantations.
Blackwood swamps, tea tree swamps and rainforest all have to go so that we can export woodchips and small peeler logs.
What a waste, all for no profit.
Now our Labor government want to give what is left to the mining industry, in return for a bucket of political donations so they can keep their jobs.
If the minerals are worth that much, let the companies mine them from underground. Drive a tunnel in from outside the wild areas and extract the minerals without doing any surface damage.
I hope I am wrong about this but I don’t sense the passion for the fight for the Tarkine as I have for recent environmental battles in Tasmania. Certainly there are a small number who are passionate but I’m not sure if there was a rally in Hobart or Launceston tomorrow there would be thousands on the streets. I think people are fatigued from decades of environmental conflicts stemming back to Lake Pedder days.
A job is a precious possession: Senator Peter Whish-Wilson will doubtless fight hard to keep his.
You’re right David Mohr. Times have changed. Imo it is not acceptable to break, enter and abuse workplaces in towns where job insecurity is very high.
I think (the pro-mine movement) is all a con job to destroy the greens. Foolish protestors, in this climate, only damage the Tarkine cause and play right into their hands.
Yes its a sad reality that there will not be enough people that will value the wilderness values of the Tarkine to prevent mining. In tougher economic times the majority of the population perceive that mining = jobs and thats all that matters. Just reading the vitriol directed towards the conservation groups in the on line comments in the Advocate this morning demonstrates the prevailing mood. The installation of Liberal governments at state and Federal level in the next 18 months will seal the Tarkine’s fate.
Parasitism can be a wonderfully lucrative industry -so long as you feed on someone else..
The woodchip industry and the LibLabs did OK until the business upset the stomachs of its overseas accomplices and the Federal Labs.
Old dogs are one thing, but teaching old tape worms new tricks is too much to ask
John Hayward
Pity that Paul Howes and other speakers don’t talk about the actual area proposed and what alternative mining jobs are supported by the TNC.
“The campaign for the Tarkine has never sought to close existing mines, and not all of the Tarkine has been nominated for heritage protection,” said Tarkine National Coalition Campaign Coordinator, Scott Jordan.
“A principle in drafting boundaries for National Heritage nominations was that all existing mines were to be excluded from the nomination. As such, the boundaries for the 2004 National Heritage nomination excluded all operational mines at that time. In 2011 the TNC’s nominated boundary was revised to exclude the re-opened Hellyer Mine lease and additional mine lease area granted to the Rosebery mine (2008) and the Savage River new lease extensions (2005 & 2007) and a 1km buffer around this mine and the iron ore pipeline”.
“The current applications for tailings dam expansions within the Savage River mine leases are unaffected by the National Heritage nomination. Likewise the foreshadowed new Rosebery tailings dam is unaffected by the National Heritage nomination”.
“The Tarkine National Coalition has also supported the proposed re-mining projects at Luina and Burns Peak. Both of these projects relate to already degraded sites and there is a real opportunity to conduct mining operations while reducing pre-existing acid mine drainage issues. Over 200 new jobs will come from these two projects”.
“We have not opposed the Henty expansion, the Avebury mine, the proposed Heemskirk tin mine or the South Hercules mine – all of which fall outside the National Heritage nomination area”.
“We simply oppose new mines in the Tarkine National Heritage nominated area”.
re 8, or is it the cynical opportunism of the Greens and grasping over-reach at the round table and by Scott Jordan that has damaged the brand?
Annie at 10 has it half right, but ignores the massive support for continued mining access. It might surprise some but there is also considerable support for a regulator with real teeth, as oppossed to the weak as piss EPA we currenlty have.
Listen-up Greens? If a massive deposit like Roxby Downs in South Australia has been shelved due to low demand, then why are they going to extract from Western Tasmania? This is like two bald guys fighting over a comb. Agree with Simon Warriner, the Greens are hopelessly outnumbered on this. They may as well deny a loaf of bread to a starving person. Some people are too proud to go onto welfare benefits. Accept that Greens? Not all of us want to live on an island financed entirely by Centrelink.
#6 I hear you!
At the moment Tassie is whimpering onto it’s knees…
What relistic options do you think Tassie has to defy ‘economic oblivion’?
The Greens claim three thousand supporters meet in Lonny and the egomaniac leader of the AWU and his mates claim that three thousand five hundred Tasmanians meet in Burnie. Both sides are there to discuss the future of an area that has no name and can “not found on maps”. Whatever the area’s name and size it clear that the area is of great value to both groups.
For one group it is an area that has the potential to restore living standards, provide good well paying jobs and feed much needed dollars into the state’s treasury. For others the area exemplifies pristine wilderness that if destroyed will be yet another example of man’s willingness to destroy the world which in turn will see “humans will cease to exist”.
Once again the battle lines have been drawn and the belicose war drums of both sides will be the only ones heard as they drown out any voices other than their own.
Positions as entrenched as any dug across the fields of Flanders will be reinforced by preconceived beliefs and inflexible rhetoric will again be the order of the day. Saints-v-sinners, science-v-faith, rampant capitalism-v- bourgeois environmental socialism.
Fleeting prosperity-v-a-perfect-tomorrow so nothing new there; it has been this way now for all of the thirty plus years I have lived in Tasmania.
Thirty years during which the two sides have grown further apart the word compromise having been surgically removed from the dictionaries of both sides.
And after more than thirty years I have to say that I’m bored shitless with both the greed and the evangelical intransigence.
In fact I’m so pissed off that I have decided to sell up and move; no doubt a few TT corespondents will celebrate and they are most welcome to do so. Northern NSW will be my new home by this time next year.
And when both sides have finished laying waste to the state who and what will be left? Those who could not afford to leave because they lacked both the money and qualifications to stay and maybe a few unprofitable unfriendly railways leading to the homes and private museums of the rich and powerful.
But as we all know there are non so deaf who will not hear and non so blind who will not see. So if and when the combatants finally stop their selfish war of attrition I hope you ask yourselves was the pain you caused too so many really worth it? Frankly I doubt that it will have been because you all forget that Tasmania is a pimple on the earths arse that very very few people care about in the great scheme of things it’s a pimple that history is not and most likely wont be interested in in either the medium or long term. Which is a great shame because Tasmania is one of the most truly wonderful places on the planet and deserved so much more of each and everyone one of those of us who claim to love it so much.
PS Does anyone want to buy an environmentally friendly, architect designed, home close to the sea and still only thirty five minutes from the city {by car}?
3000
my
Arse
#6, if we continue to flog the same dead horse, do you think it will finally get up and win a race? The old “mine it or chop it down” mentality has cost Tasmania dearly in the past, and to think these industries will somehow be the saviour of the economy now is just ridiculous.
#19 Mining, forestry and agriculture- with some very good manufacturing industries in the mix, have been the economic foundation for the Tasmania we are today- any cost substantially outweighed by the benefits.