Apparently what the Northern Territory Government wants, the Northern Territory Government gets!
According to an ABC online News report, the NT Government plan to amend the wording on mining legislation, in order to sidestep a supreme court ruling. The ruling which was made last week prevented the controversial mine expansion from continuing.
Apparently the Traditional Owners, who won the case against the Government, had not been informed that the mine would go ahead regardless.
The Chief Minister, Ms Martin said:
"I think the TOs [traditional owners] understood the decision had been made"
So it appears that regardless of the law, or any of the procedures we have in place to protect ourselves or our environment against actions that may cause harm what the Government wants takes precedence over everything. They are above the law and if the laws don't suite their present needs they will change the law, with the same disregard for due process they give any other issue that does not support their own interests!
Mines minister Chris Natt describes the fundamental alterations to the mine's operational plan as “...just one small word - the word ‘underground’..."
It is amazing! In real terms the difference between an underground mine and an open cut mine seem enormous! Though when it comes to rewriting documents they are just a few letters on a page and with the aid of a good word processor and an easily amended database no-one need ever know the word was even there in the first place. I'm sure we'll all have forgotten about it in a week or so. So what’s the big Deal!
Check out the story at ABC News Online
Keep up to date with the McArthur River issue: McArthur River Blog
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