JOINT MEDIA RELEASE – PUT A LINE UNDER IT, LABOR. REVERSE THE GOLD MINE DECLARATION

Senator the Hon Jonno Duniam
Shadow Minister for the Environment, Fisheries and Forestry
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate
Senator for Tasmania

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians
Shadow Minister for Government Efficiency
Senator for the Northern Territory

Joint Media Release

11 March 2025

PUT A LINE UNDER IT, LABOR. REVERSE THE GOLD MINE DECLARATION

There is even more undeniable evidence that Tanya Plibersek made the wrong call in declaring an area of the McPhillamys gold mine protected under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (ATSIHP Act).

It has been revealed that the Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation (WTOCWAC) misrepresented a late Wiradjuri elder’s memory to prop up the existence of a blue-banded bee dreaming story. The basis of Tanya Plibersek’s section 10 declaration was the blue-banded bee story. The Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council have previously stated that this story is made up.

The Coalition is urging the Government to immediately reverse this decision before it costs taxpayers more money and the country even more of its shredded investment reputation. Shadow Environment Minister, Jonno Duniam, said, “Tanya Plibersek’s decision was wrong. She did not rely on the cultural heritage advisor to establish the veracity of a story that the Local Aboriginal Land Council says does not exist.”

“Australia’s investment climate has been rocked by this decision. There is now a cloud of uncertainty over every prospective mine in the country because of the precedent Tanya Plibersek established.”

It was discovered at the recent round of Senate Estimates that legal advice to the Government in making the declaration had already cost the taxpayer $44,170. Senator Duniam said, “The Government are bleeding money to defend the indefensible. They need to cut their losses and reverse the decision.”

Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, said, “The exploitation of Indigenous heritage for activist purposes is nothing new, but the complete absence of due diligence by the Albanese government in this matter is nothing short of disgraceful.”

“A Coalition Government is committed to Indigenous heritage laws that will protect the economic and cultural interests of Indigenous Australians while ensuring land is not taken advantage of by activists.”

The Coalition will overturn this bad Labor decision and get the McPhillamys gold mine up and running.