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In take-out-the-trash week, Environment Minister, Tony Burke, has today announced the first step in the trashing of the world renowned Tarkine wilderness.
“We can now expect Minister Burke to approve several more mines, and excise their footprint from any Heritage listing, once again putting short term profits ahead of the long-term interests of the Tarkine and the communities who depend on it,” Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
“Mining the Tarkine will create profits for a company outside Tasmania, employ only a few dozen people for a short time, and do terrible damage to the livelihoods of all those who depend on the Tarkine’s beauty and the state’s clean, green image for their business.
“National Heritage listing for the Tarkine, recommended by the Heritage Council, has been kicked from one Environment Minister to the next for the last decade and still Tony Burke has not moved to protect it, but, in a cynical pre-Christmas, bury the bad decisions move, has approved the Shree Minerals mine anyway.
“It was clear when Tony Burke allowed the Emergency Heritage listing of the Tarkine to lapse without consultation with the Heritage Council that he intended to prefer short-term mining over long-term conservation outcomes and that is precisely what he is doing.
“There are six threatened species on this site, including the wedge-tailed eagle, the spotted quoll and the Tasmanian devil, and there are 16 threatened species within a 5 km radius of the site.
“It’s laughable to claim that conditions including ‘raising environmental awareness’ amongst mine employees is going to save these threatened species when the open cut iron ore mine, which will be 1km long and 225m deep, is dug out.
“Under the EPBC draft guidelines, it was recommended that the company study the hydrological implications of its mine proposal on threatened vegetation, particularly orchids. It refused to do so, and the Minister has approved the mine anyway.
“With this decision following last night’s announcement of cutting foreign aid to pay for cruel treatment of refugees, you have to wonder what tomorrow holds.”
Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson, said “It doesn’t matter how many ‘conditions’ you place on this, it’s still going to destroy the region’s wilderness values and threatens the potential for other more long-term economic activity such as tourism.”
• Terry Long, Tasmanian Minerals Council: We welcome it
The Tasmanian Minerals Council today welcomed the final approvals for the Shree Minerals iron ore project in North-West Tasmania.
The Executive Director Terry Long said that the mine had been years in the planning and had been through a demanding approvals process with the Tasmanian EPA and the Federal Environment Department.
“People can be assured the project is sound from an environmental perspective,” Mr Long said.
“And with unemployment running at more than 9% in Tasmania’s North West it will provide welcome employment where jobs are scarce.”
• Terry Long, Tasmanian Minerals Council: We welcome Venture Minerals
Tasmanian Minerals Council today welcomed the State government’s granting of a mining lease to Venture Minerals for their Riley iron ore deposit near Tullah.
The CEO Terry Long said it is an important step towards making the mine a reality.
The company wants to spend some $7 million dollars on preparatory works and to be shipping iron ore to the international markets by mid next year.
Mr Long said the mine is underpinned by a 700 page environmental case which is with the Tasmanian EPA. It will also require Federal government approvals.
• Bryan Green grants another illegal mine lease
The decision by Resources Minister Bryan Green to grant a mine lease at Riley Creek to Venture Minerals is legally invalid and a clear breach of the Minister’s legislative obligations under the Mineral Resources Development Act.
Section 75 (3)(f) of the Mineral Resources Development Act s requires that the Minister may only grant an application for a lease if satisfied that the applicant has provided the Director with sufficient information relating to the likely impact on the environment.
The Riley Creek environmental assessment is still underway, with public submissions open until 20th January, and EPA yet to complete assessments.
“This is a another in a series of Bryan Green decisions that fail to meet his clear legal obligations when granting mining leases”, said Campaign Coordinator Scott Jordan.
“This lease is illegal and invalid”.
Extract from the Mineral Resources Development Act:
75. Recommendation of application for mining lease
(1) The Director is to consider an application for a lease.
(2) If the Director intends to recommend to the Minister that the application be granted, the Director is to notify that intention by notice in writing –
(a) to the applicant; and
(b) as required under section 29 of the Native Title Act 1993 of the Commonwealth; and
(c) to the holder of a lease under section 106.
(2A) If the Director intends to recommend to the Minister that the application be granted, the Director is to provide the applicant with a copy of the proposed lease.
(2B) The applicant, within 14 days after receiving a copy of the proposed lease, may make submissions to the Minister in relation to the proposed terms and conditions of that lease.
(3) The Minister may only grant an application for a lease if satisfied that the applicant –
(a) has demonstrated that there is a sufficient quantity of minerals to justify mining; and
(b) intends to mine; and
(c) intends to comply with this Act; and
(d) has an appropriate mining plan; and
(e) is likely to have sufficient financial and technical resources to carry out the mining plan; and
(f) has provided the Director with sufficient information relating to the likely impact on the environment; and
(g) if the application is in respect of private land, has entered into a compensation agreement with the owner or occupier of the land; and
(h) has provided a security deposit.
• Tarkine National Coalition: Tony Burke fails the Tarkine. Tarkine National Coalition won’t
The Tarkine National Coalition (18/12/2012) has condemned the decision by Environment Minister Tony Burke to grant Commonwealth environmental approval to the Nelson Bay River mine in the Tarkine.
“This is a decision that seals Tony Burke’s betrayal of the Tarkine and hastens the extinction of the Tasmanian devil in the wild”, said Campaign Coordinator Scott Jordan.
“Tony Burke will be remembered as the Minister who could have defended the Tarkine and given the Tasmanian devil a real chance”.
“Instead he has hidden behind useless permit conditions that effectively ask the company to count the dead and make commiserations”.
The Nelson Bay River mine will be 1km long and 225m deep and sits in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area, and within the areas independently identified as World Heritage and National Heritage value.
The TNC will put all of its efforts into ensuring that this mine is not developed.
“Tony Burke has clearly failed the Tarkine. Tarkine National Coalition will not”.
• Bob Brown: Brown Slams Tarkine Decision and Whaling Inaction
19 Dec 2012
Former Greens Leader Bob Brown says the giant open pit mine planned in the Tarkine’s Arthur-Pieman Protected Area is a travesty of Australian environmental laws.
“The term Protected Area is not worth the paper it’s written on. Presumably the rare and endangered species in the mine precinct will be stuffed, stuck in a glass case, and shown to visitors as a boast of the Shree Minerals’ green credentials”, he said.
Bob Brown condemned the Federal Minister for the Environment Tony Burke’s go ahead for the environmentally destructive open pit which will be 1 km across and more than 200 m deep, with its base beneath sea level.
“It was a shameful announcement for this Minister to make”.
Meanwhile Mr Burke has ostensibly done nothing to promote Australia’s challenge to the Japanese whaling fleet in the World Court, while a belligerent Japanese challenge in the US courts has the potential to intervene on Sea Shepherd’s role of upholding international law by stopping Japan’s illegal whaling in Australia’s Antarctic waters.
“The Gillard Government’s inaction is tantamount to aiding and abetting the Japanese plunder of the whale herds in this international sanctuary”, Brown said.
• Paul O’Halloran: Burke abandons responsibility for Tassie Devil
Paul O’Halloran MP
Greens Member for Braddon
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
The Tasmanian Greens today said the Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke had abrogated his responsibility to ensure protection of threatened species, by approving an application to mine iron ore at Nelson Bay River in the Tarkine.
Greens Member for Braddon Paul O’Halloran MP said that the Shree Minerals project would undermine both the environmental values and the long-term job creation potential of the Tarkine, and would almost certainly speed the decline in Tasmanian devil numbers.
“By buckling under pressure from the mining industry, Tony Burke has ignored the potentially massive impact this project could have on of threatened species like the Tasmanian devil,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“This type of ill-considered mining activity will undermine the fantastic potential that a protected Tarkine offers for long-term job opportunities and genuine diversification of our economy.”
“The 29 supposed conditions Mr Burke has imposed on the project are just window dressing, and are in fact an admission that the mine will have a negative impact on listed endangered species.”
“This area was recommended for National Heritage listing by the Heritage Council, and it is irresponsible to push ahead with a project like this before all likely impacts have been considered.”
“There are also some serious concerns about the reliability of the scientific data used to assess the project.”
“Environmental surveys previously undertaken appeared to be missing critical details regarding the impact on threatened species and the potential hydrological impacts of the project.”
“When you consider that the mine itself will be well below the level of the nearby Nelson Bay River, it’s hard to see how this will not impact on the area’s hydrology.”
“At a time when Tasmania should be focusing on developments that unite our community, Mr Burke seems determined to press ahead with these divisive and destructive projects that undermine the region’s long term job potential.”
