Mining boss John Lamb’s comments on ‘economic terrorists’ are inciting hatred

Board member of the Tasmanian Minerals Council and CEO of Shaw Contracting John Lamb’s recent comments reported in last Friday’s Advocate ( It’s time for state mining industry to fight back ) are indicative of the same inflammatory language used to further entrench a divide-and-rule approach to the mining debate in Tasmania just as we have seen in the forest industry for decades past.

His claim that the mining industry has let conservationists get away with ‘economic terrorism’ is an appalling misuse of language and his motives and basis for using these inflammatory words need to be seriously questioned.

What John Lamb, former MMG Rosebery mine manager, is clearly saying, is that anyone who questions the expansion or accountability of the mining industry and their public watchdog agencies in Tasmania is an “economic terrorist”.

John Lamb needs to retract this dangerous statement.

John Lamb further complains that critics of some activities of the mining industry in Tasmania appear to have the gall to ‘play by different rules’ to the mining industry and that conservationists perseverance with their opposition to inappropriate activities by miners is equivalent to being ‘religious’.

What extraordinary statements to make!

If John Lamb wants to improve the image of the mining industry he certainly needs to seek better advice about the incendiary language he uses in the media.

Is it any wonder why the mining industries’ image is going from bad to worse with the promotion of this type of hatred within our community?

Premier Lara Giddings and Greens Minister Nick McKim need to make a public statement about their opposition to John Lamb’s incendiary language that can only lead to further division in the Tasmanian community.

• Excerpt from It’s time for state mining industry to fight back:

Environmentalists were well organised and skilled at using technology to push their views and the unpopular mining industry must learn to match them, Mr Lamb told the mining and mapping conference in Devonport yesterday.

“We let them play by different rules.

“We let them get away with economic terrorism.

“Our opponents, it’s like a religion, it never stops.”

• Tim Thorne, in Comments: John Lamb should name the individuals he accuses of terrorism. This is an extremely serious accusation which would be actionable for defamation unless Mr Lamb can provide substantiation. If he cannot, he must withdraw it and apologise. If he does not mean that any of the individuals involved in environmental issues connected with mining are terrorists, then his words are nothing but meaningless babble and his apology should be directed to those who respect the honest and intelligent use of the English language in public discourse.