(351.3491) WISE Amsterdam - The WA government is well aware of the wide support for a compete ban on mining in in its national parks, but its new policy will ban mining in only 57 out of the 60. The legislation contains provisions to ensure continued access to those areas considered to be of particular economic importance. Mechanisms have been included to allow some parts of the parks to be set aside for mining, while compensating for land lost by allowing for additions to the parks of equivalent areas of land.
Lawrence claims her support of the new legislation does not conflict with her earlier promise not to allow uranium mining. Nor does it conflict, she says, with the Federal "Three Mines Policy" which limits the uranium mining in Australia to three mines. It simply leaves the door open for a future government to allow mining, if it wishes to do so...
Lawrence is also reportedly working on amendments to the Aboriginal Heritage Act which would allow development on documented Aboriginal Sacred Sites, if, of course, the state should decide that such development is important. This would prevent legal objections to mining activity from Aboriginal custodians of the area.
The mining giant CRA (Conzinc Rio Tinto of Australia - an RTZ Associate Company) stands to profit most from the new policy. CRA has spent "tens of millions of dollars" on the "exploration phase" of its Kintyre deposit, located on the edge of the Rudall River National Park. The Kintyre deposit is estimated at 15,000 tonnes of "probable" reserves with a further 20,000 tonnes of "possible" reserves, and perhaps even richer plunder to the south over the entire Rudall region. The company has a 4-year plan which includes another two years for exploration and ends in development of this vast deposit.
The Federal Labor government is already under heavy pressure to change its existing "three named uranium mines" policy. CRA, which forecasts a change in government at the next election anyway, is basing its current mine development activities on the assumption that the Liberal Coalition, which is pledged to throwing out the three mines policy, will be in power. This would then place the company in a position to ship out commercial quantities of yellowcake within the next few years.
The Martu Aboriginal people, the traditional custodians of the area, are deeply concerned with the new legislation. Not only has the WA government not consulted the people the decision effects most, nor considered the rights, welfare and interests of the Martu, it has also failed to consider a Social Impact Study specifically commissioned to address Aboriginal concerns and interests. This study has now lain around, ignored, for over a year, without comment, due consideration or reference by the government in formulating its new policy.
Some Martu people from the Punmu and Cotten Creek communities within the Rudall River National Park drove thousands of kilometers to join a noisy protest in Perth of 300 Aboriginal people and conservationists at the opening of the World Conservation Union conference in November 1990. Now they are asking for letters to be sent to:
Carmen Lawrence WA Premier
19th Floor Capital House
197 St. Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000
AUSTRALIA
Sources:
- Letter from Teddy Biljabu, Chair of the Western Desert Puntukurnuparna to WA Premier, Feb. 1990
- West Australian, 14 Nov. 1990
- Mining Journal (UK), Dec. 1990
- industry sources
- WISE-Glen Aplin files.
Contact: WISE-Glen Aplin, PO Box 87, Glen Aplin Q 4381, Australia,tel: 076-834364, fax: 076-834240.
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