Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 26 May 2021
Call to Gutwein for two week mine dam moratorium
The Bob Brown Foundation wants Premier Peter Gutwein to call a halt to mining company MMG’s clearing for a toxic waste dam in the Tarkine rainforest until 8 June. By then the federal minister for the environment, Sussan Ley, has to decide whether to stop it for environmental reasons. The project also involves the invasion of the Pieman River Regional Reserve.
“MMG is irresponsibly flattening rainforest which is the habitat for federally-listed endangered wildlife before the national minister for the environment has done the legally-required assessment. Premier Gutwein understands that there are environmental considerations and should stop the company taking the law into its own hands like this. No wonder there is such public outrage,” Bob Brown said today.
“There is no need for this high-handed action by MMG. The company’s current tailings dam was built as recently as 2016 and can accommodate years more of its output of heavy metals contaminated wastes. It also has future options on its own side of the Pieman River and south of the mine which do not involve invading the recommended national heritage area of the Tarkine.”
“The foundation’s stand against MMG, a China state-owned company, is to protect magnificent rainforests which will be part of the Tarkine’s huge potential job-creation future long after this company packs up and leaves,” Brown said.
Tarkine protest continues – Defenders back in threatened forest
This morning protesters have returned to the contentious Tarkine forests where a Chinese state-owned mining company is destroying rainforests for exploratory drilling. The drilling is the first phase before flattening ancient rainforests for a proposed monster size 140 hectare heavy metals tailings dam.
“We are here to disrupt this invasion of Australia’s largest temperate rainforests by MMG. Every day for the past nine days we have been rolling out non violent direct action to try and prevent the destruction of Gondwanan tall myrtle rainforests and tall eucalyptus habitat for endangered species like the masked owl,” Bob Brown Foundation Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.
“Ten arrests later and we are still witnessing the Chinese state owned mining company MMG tear apart the rainforests. It needs to stop,” Jenny Weber said.
“Rather than sending in Tasmania’s taxpayer funded police force on behalf of a mining company, Premier Gutwein could have leadership and protect takayna/Tarkine for its world heritage values,” Jenny Weber said.
“I am here taking direct action to defend the forests because words have failed to protect takayna/Tarkine. We have a responsibility to defend these native forests and keep their rich biodiversities intact,” Carol Bennett who is this morning attached to the MMG access gate that has locked up public forests for destruction.
