Chief Minister Interviewed

Transcript: NT Stateline 7:30pm Friday 06/10/06
http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/nt/content/2006/s1757554.htm

On Stateline last Friday Reporter Melinda James interviewed the Chief Minister Clare Martin and Mines Minister Chris Natt about the issue of the McArthur River mine proposal.

One of the key questions related to the letter from the Prime Minister which appeared as a virtual directive to allow the mine at any cost.
I was quite surprised by the Chief Ministers response to such an overstep of the PM’s political boundary. The blatant disregard he showed for the legal precautionary procedures, which have been put in place to offer some kind of protection to a national asset and the intrinsic rights of local people!
I have no idea why she would play down this gross insult to the people of the Northern Territory by the Prime Minister.

I wonder if they are joking when they say that no decision has been made. I also wonder if Chris Natt realized his contradiction when in the first instance he said “… we've got to make sure the McArthur River mine and the Territory economy does go ahead.” In the next breath he said “…haven't made any decisions whatsoever.”

Whatsoever? I dunno if I get what he means by whatsoevert. I would think that the term whatsoever is all inclusive which would mean that he has not committed to any course of action at all. Yet he has already said that he is committed to ensuring that the mine will go ahead. Semantics? Or outright untruth. It is obvious that there is lack of real commitment to sound environmental management when it comes to the extraction of minerals in the Northern Territory.

References have also been made in the media about greenies and being against all mines. This is predictable and absolutely absurd! Warning bells are ringing from the very devices that the government has put in place to protect our shared resources and they want to ignore them. The issues raised by the people of Borrolloola and environmentalists are in the interests of all Australians for the protection and sensible use of our natural resources.

Surely the Chief Minister is capable of discerning the difference between informed professionals acting to protect future generations from reckless environment damage and those who’s comments stem primarily from their own self-interest?