Tarkine voices heard by shareholders at Venture Minerals AGM

Picture: Nicole Anderson

Representatives from The Wilderness Society, GetUp! and Tarkine National Coalition are today attending the Annual General Meeting of Venture Minerals, to ensure that shareholders are made aware of environmental risks of the company’s plans to mine in a National and World Heritage recommended area and consequentially, the financial risk to their investment.

“We find it incredible that this company has never disclosed to it’s shareholders that the area it plans to develop are within the very area’s of the Tarkine that have been recommended for both National and World Heritage Listing,” said Paul Oosting , GetUp! spokesperson.

The area is also critical habitat for the endangered Tasmanian devil, at risk of extinction from the Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease.

“The fact that this company seeks to mine in a critical disease free refuge of the Tasmanian devil shows that they are willing to place shareholder profit above the future of this iconic species,” said Vica Bayley Wilderness Society’s Tasmanian Campaign Manager.

“Trucks and other vehicle movements to and from this mine will dramatically increase the mortality of Devils on the roads around these mines”.

Tarkine National Coalition’s Campaign Coordinator, Scott Jordan, met with Venture Minerals management in September.

“I made it very clear to Mr Halliday that the conservation movement was vehemently opposed to Venture Minerals projects in the Tarkine, and that we intend to mount campaigns (to ensure the values of the area are protected) prevent these mines proceeding,” said Mr Jordan.

“I told him we will be there this summer to stop the company. Why hasn’t that information been communicated to shareholders?”

“Environment groups take a pragmatic view to protection in the Tarkine and proposals for heritage listing pose no threat to any existing mine or job, however massive new open cut mines in existing rainforest reserves like the one proposed by Venture Minerals have no place in a landscape as valuable as the Tarkine”.

Scott Jordan, Tarkine National Coalition
Vica Bayley, The Wilderness Society
Paul Oosting, GetUp!