22 August 2024
Topics: Plibersek’s chilling decision to block the Regis goldmine in regional NSW, Coalition disallowance motion seeking to overturn the decision
E&OE
Alex James:
Well, the fallout continues from the decision to grant a protection order which is a question mark over the future of the McPhillamys Gold Project near Blayney. The federal opposition has weighed into the debate after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek granted an Aboriginal protection order over part of the site of the project’s Tailings dam on the Belubula River. Liberal Senator and Shadow Environment Minister Jonathon Duniam called on the government to explain this decision despite the mine having federal and state approvals. The federal government says it has followed the legislation. Senator Duniam is on the phone. Senator, thank you for joining us on the program today.
Senator Duniam:
Good morning, Alex. Thanks for having me.
Alex James:
So why did you put this motion up first of all?
Senator Duniam:
Well, it’s a pretty big call. This was a billion-dollar gold mine, more than 800 jobs in a relatively small community and more importantly, the project has crossed every hurdle that any project of this nature needs to cross, every state and federal environmental approval, and your listeners would know there are many, many projects that don’t get to this point and for them to have invested so significantly, passed all of those tests, and then at the eleventh hour, on the basis of a claim by a group of people purporting to be local traditional owners, when of course the Orange Aboriginal Land Council have indicated that they thought the mine and its risks were more than manageable and therefore were neutral on the issue, does raise the question. So we wanted to know exactly why the Minister made this draconian call because the cost to the community, the cost to the economy, is so significant and I think this is at the very least the community deserve.
Alex James:
So the group of people you’re referencing include the Wiradjuri traditional owners, Central West Aboriginal Corporation I believe, and look, I wanted to talk about, I’ll ask you a bit about this, what you’ve just mentioned here, because the Land Council you’re referencing, documents dated back to 2019 and 2020 show that that particular Land Council was firmly against the McPhillamys Gold mine project going ahead during the consultation process, so there clearly is the conversations, there are significant conversations happening around this site.
Senator Duniam:
Yeah, there were. And as I say, the concerns raised by the group that have legislative authority to speak on behalf of country, the Orange Aboriginal Land Council, were dealt with, were managed and they, as has been highlighted in several media commentaries on the issue over the last week, found themselves in a situation where they felt the mine was, you know, manageable and the risks to cultural heritage and the environment of course were manageable and on that basis did not oppose it. So when you’ve got competing views from two different groups, one recognised at law as the voice of those on country and another one, the Wiradjuri group, with a different view, a small group, 17 to 18 registered members are able to upend a billion dollar project which will affect 870 jobs and, you know, dry up hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties on an annual basis I think is something worth considering. That’s why we lodged the disallowance. We don’t think this is a good basis for the decision for the Minister to make and certainly when most of the details aren’t available for the public to consume.
Alex James:
So the this was blocked though, this motion that you put up was voted down, so what happens for you now?
Senator Duniam:
Well, so our motion remains on the books and I’m hopeful that the Senate will support it. If the motion gets up, then the mine can proceed. The indication from the mining company who only last night wrote down the value of the project to a value of, you know, they wiped off nearly $200 million of value in the project. That is a massive hit for any company of any size and as I’ve already said there is, you know, 870 jobs that now go begging. They aren’t there available for the community. You only have to talk to the local butcher who was in the paper saying that the amount of money they spent on their business, they’re worried they won’t get a return on. Farmers who farm on land that is covered by the objection under the Section 10 order of the Act that has stopped this mine, he’s worried about farming on that land. So we need to actually get clarity here. The Minister can’t just make this decision and walk away, given the carnage that it will unleash on a regional community and in their defence they say that, well, the former government, the government I was a part of have, have blocked projects. Well, yes, Sussan Ley, when she was Environment Minister did knock on the head a go kart track and there were reasons for that, including overwhelming community opposition to that project proposed by the local government of the area. But there’s a big difference between a go kart track and a billion dollar gold mine that will generate nearly a thousand jobs.
Alex James:
Well, look, Senator, I appreciate your time this morning and thanks for joining us on the program.