What ever happened to the McArthur River?

Back in 2006 the people of Borroloola and concerned Northern Territorians rallied against a proposed expansion to the McArthur River Mine (MRM).
The expansion involved turning what was an underground mine into a full open cut mine and diverting a section of a large Tropical River for kilometers through a dozed channel to avoid flooding of the mine (and theoretically to prevent contamination of the River)

Locals and environment advocates fought a hard battle with the mining company (conglomerate) Xstrata Queensland Limited. (Mount Isa Mines Ltd) , who had already proven to be incapable of preventing leakage of contaminants from the existing mine.
Despite strong evidence against the miner's capacity to protect the natural resources of the area the expansion was approved by the Minister for Mines and Energy.

The decision was challenged in the supreme court case of: Lansen and Ors v Northern Territory Minister for Mines and Energy [2007] NTSC 28.
The presiding judge Justice Angel ruled that approval should not have been given by the Minister. Basically he found that a mine classified as 'underground' could not simply be changed to an open cut mine with a nod and a wink by the Minister for Mining. See the: Mining Management Act 1990 (NT).

So then things got really dirty. The NT Government dived in to defend the mining company. They actually rewrote the law and applied it retrospectively to overturn the Supreme Court ruling. They adjusted the McArthur River Project Agreement Ratification Act 1992 (NT) pretty much giving MRM management permission to do whatever they want with the land, the river and the future of the people in the region. (read more HERE)

The mine went ahead and the river was diverted.

Protest rally September 2006

Environmentalists were pissed off, the people of Borroloola were mortified and the average Territorian didn't seem to appreciate just how much they had lost. For a Government to amend a law retrospectively in order to get what they want and ignore the health and cultural concerns of citizens, disregard environmental protection safeguards and show such contempt for the laws of the land was an insult to all Territorians but we barely heard a murmur from the average citizen... Even though this affected one of the best fishing spots in the NT. Maybe they thought it was only a Blackfella problem?

So here we are 8 [9] years later and the river is showing serious signs of contamination, people are afraid to eat fish from the river or surrounding coastal water but there has been no advice from the Department of health about the health risks connected to the river!
What's changed?

• The environment is far more polluted than it was 9 years ago.
• The name of the company is Glencore 

Today once again representatives from the Borroloola community returned to Parliament House to visit the Minister for the Environment. They brought a petition with 3,600 signatures on it calling for the closure of the mine and rehabilitation of their land. (ABC report HERE)

Environment Centre NT workers were also there to support the call for justice and to highlight the multiple failures at the mine and Government departments in ensuring the adherence to NT and Australian Environmental laws. The level of contamination poses very serious health risks to residents of Borroloola and surrounding communities. There could be serious consequences for not notifying people of the risk to health.

The McArther River Mine should be an example to every Territorian that our Government is prepared to stomp the lives of it's own people into the dirt rather than miss an opportunity to support extraction resource companies from making a packet at our expense!

Injustice in the NT

More on the McArthur River issue.
The events in Parliament and the courts over the past couple of weeks have been a great opportunity for our government to prove themselves worthy leaders and they have failed disgracefully!
If there was ever a time to test the metal of our members of parliament, an issue such as this would have to be it. When presented with an opportunity to act in the interests of their citizens and environment and to lay down binding safeguards for the future of the territory they have chosen to roll over to the will of a mining company and forsake the future of those people who are closest to the land they are selling out!
Why? Why submit so easily? Why disregard the people and the rights of all Territorians so freely? Why was their a split in the party over this issue and why was it only the indigenous members of parliament who opposed this decision, a decision which holds the supreme court, the environment and the people of the Northern Territory in absolute contempt?
The members who crossed the floor on this issue aught to be commended by all Australians. They stood up for democracy, human rights and the laws which are meant to defend each and every one of us. They did this in the face of their own Party's indifference and beligerance. I hope we all remember their courage. However I am worried that the split along ethnic lines has revealed the true interests of the majority within our government.
If they do not see what they have done as an attack on the rights of all Territorians then they obviously must value the rights of indigenous people less than those of the rest of us! Various displays of governments apathy and a general disregard for the pleas made by various delegations from Borroloola make this appear to be the case.

What is the deal with altering legislation retrospectively anyway? If the Government are going to go back and re-visit the past they should remember the golden rule of time travel. LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH! This is the general mandate that governs our business with the past. The consequences of interference have been demonstrated by all our favorite time traveler heroes from Homer Simpson to Doctor Who?!

As the lyrics from Bob Dylan's 'Clean cut Kid' go:

"They said what's up is down, they said what isn't is
They put ideas in his head he thought were his"

They took a clean cut Bill.... and they made a noose out of it that's what they did!
(my own little improvisation)

Although Territorians still appear to have their heads in the sand over this issue there are people of conscience watching and taking note. Check out what Jon Tippett QC from the Bar Association had to say on Northern Territory Stateline last night:
Bar Association Condemns NT Government

http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/nt/content/2006/s1921065.htm

Supreme Court Jesters

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

The winds of change and a Seabreeze

Gathering at the foreshore

The beginning of the dry season came with a bang this year! In the space of about two weeks the dry southerly winds have arrived and blown away the tropical humidity and afternoon showers. The grass is drying and Spring fever is all around.
The Seabreeze festival along Nightcliff foreshore was a great hit on the weekend and the atmosphere was amazing. There were bands all along the strip from the boat ramp to Rapid creek bridge! Jumping castles on the grass and sand castles on the beach, cultures, sculptures and and beanbag jugglers! There were artists, cyclists and competition finalists! So many folks in the street food to eat a chai tea tent where we all could meet. There were kids with dogs a man with a parrot scrap metal cows and recycled creatures that defied description! Bicycles, tricycles and even a one wheeled onecycle (you know a unicycle)Wobbling and swaying under the cheerful magic of a teenaged clown, face painted and laughing at the crowd he rolls by. Ecstatic anonymous joy. Delight happiness. Kids climbing trees, skinning knees laughing shouting free and and begging mum please let us stay till dark! They're running freely, wild through the park, the band pumps it up and the kids are jumping and rolling in the grass while parents let down their guard as they sit in the gentle afternoon seabreeze. The knock'em-downs will be around soon enough.
So we checked it all out sat for a while walked ate some cake and drank Chai and filtered coffee, banged along to the band with the lagerphone we made and enjoyed the ease of a welcome dry in the season of festivals and visitors, dry air and cool nights! It's great to be here!


Kid's bike extender


Chung Wah Lions in parade


Latin Rhythms


Bali Music and culture


Supreme Court Ruling on McArthur River Mine!
There is some justice in the NT after all but the fight is not over! The Supreme court has found in favor of the Traditional owners who disputed the mining approval. This is a great victory for Territorians whether we appreciate it or not. There is currently a lot of pressure to disregard environmental safeguards if they threaten to slow mining approvals in any way. The recent Supreme court decision should cause governments to seriously re-think their appraisal of environmental impacts. I hope they don't retaliate by diluting of these laws.
Check out the McArthur River blog for more info HERE.

The Web of Life

WWF has produced this great animation about the Web of Life following the theme of the Da Vinci Code. Check it out HERE. (You'll need flashplayer to run it)



Where is the line between profit and madness?

Although there are obviously many other environmental and social issues in the N.T. that deserve equal attention I have been focussed on the McArthur River because it is an example of outright disregard for the environment, water (our most precious resource), environmental law and the rights of traditional owners. Unfortunately there is a lot more dirty dealing going on in the Territory, such as the destruction of native habitat for plantation timber on Melville Island, which appears to have full approval and is even billed as being environmentally and socially responsible! This is a very distorted view of reality!

The Cane Toad problem is now so overwhelming that environmentalists are hoping to block their entry into Darwin as a means of protecting wildlife! Who would ever have thought that in the great expanse of the Northern Territory the safest place for wildlife would be amongst the suburbs of our capital City?

Unfortunately though the urgency and significance of the McArthur river campaign is such that I feel compelled to continue to bang on about it in the hope that the issue will not be forgotten. Despite the efforts made by environmental lobby groups and the traditional owners, there seems to be little public interest in the future of this particular river system or the rights that have been eroded by a dismissive political approval system!

Enough said! If you care at all about the effectiveness of our environmental safeguards, water or the health and wellbeing of fellow Australians please click on this LINK to the Don't Muck up the McArthur River website and check the calendar for updates. Don't close your eyes to this terrible injustice.

Read what the Northern Land Council (NLC) have to say about the issue HERE.

McArthur River coctail

Heavy metals in our rivers! What price are we willing to pay for access to one of Australia’s largest Zinc and Lead deposits?

When it comes to the damage done by increased concentrations of heavy metals in our rivers it seems that graphic metaphor is not needed. Of course the destruction of habitat and accumulative effects of pollution from mining could be graphically dramatized by images of a flesh eating monster consuming all life in its path. This metaphorical image would surely embody the long-term effects of a Lead and Zinc mine seepinh by-products into our fresh, estuarine and saltwater systems. Naturally the image of such a monster would make a powerful impression but it would of course be highly suggestive and emotive and appropriately be labeled as anti mining propaganda.

However when a real flesh eating bacteria is found to be killing people in the waterways downstream of such a mine and it is suggested there may be a link between an increasing occurrence of the bacteria and high levels of heavy metals; then we have a situation that realizes our worst fears!

Recent news reports have disclosed that there is a possible link between four confirmed cases of people affected by the bacteria (three of them now dead). Coincidentally there happens to be higher than normal readings of heavy metals in the waters downstream of the McArthur River Mine. – (ABC News Online Last Update: Wednesday, February 28, 2007. 9:05pm (AEDT)

Links to the latest news on flesh eating bacteria HERE.

As expected Xstrata is denying any connection between their operations and the possible increase of occurrence of this bacterium. But as there is no conclusive link their denial may be premature or even pre-emptive. I am no scientist but I would expect for them to be able to deny or accept fault would come down to the answer of two questions.

What is the connection between the bacteria and increased levels of heavy metals in the McArthur River?

1. What is the connection between the McArthur River Mine and the increased occurrence of heavy metals down stream of the mine?

Of course there are many other questions surrounding the bacteria and the mine. However if there is any connection between the bacteria and heavy metals and if it is shown that the mine is responsible for the increase in heavy metals in the river a denial would be ridiculous!

Apparently Yanyuwa, Mara, Garrawa and Gurdanji people from the McArthur River area are challenging, in court, the Government’s decision to approve the mine. They should be supported in their brave stand and encouraged to fight! They are fighting not only for their rights but for the rights of all Australians and particularly Territorians to an honest unbiased and transparent development aproval process. Although they are seemingly alone in their action to defend this river that is so precious to many Territorians, not to mention it's likely value to the fishing industry, I am hopeful that more of us will join this worthy cause! The seriousness of this issue is becoming undeniably obvious. For more information Click HERE.

Please follow my links to the "Don’t Muck up the McArthur" website and support the fight against this disgraceful treatment of one of our nations great rivers. Show the Australian and Territory Governments that we do value our water resources and remaining natural habitats and that we will not stand for their destruction at the hands of an unethical mining company!

Don't Muck up the McArthur!

The fight to save McArthur River is not dead! There is a new Blog devoted to giving voice to those people who feel strongly about the future of this much loved river.
The blog is called 'Don't Muck up The McArthur' and is a continuation of a desperate fight to protect the river, it's associated ecosystems from the potential disaster that will likely result from current plans to divert the river and mine the riverbed.
The people who's cultural heritage is intrinsically linked to the river claim their wishes have been ignored and that their religious sights are at risk of being irreparably damaged.

Please visit the blog and show your support for this movement.

http://mcarthurriver.wordpress.com/help-us/

Rivers for the taking!

My apologies to those of you who would like to see more pretty pictures of flowers and sunsets and nice stuff like that, but there is some serious stuff happening in the NT at the moment and I think it is important to raise awareness of a very sad issue.

Last night on Stateline (ABC 7:30pm) Clare Martin declared that the McArthur River diversion and open-cut mine will go ahead. Please read the transcript here:

Transcript
McArthur River Mine gets the go ahead
Broadcast: 13/10/2006
Reporter: Melinda James
http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/nt/content/2006/s1764620.htm


NT NEWS 14/10/2006
Mine given green light
By NIGEL ADLAM
http://www.ntnews.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,20578601%255E13569,00.html


It is a very week defence when the best you can say about your actions is that what you are doing is within the bounds of the law!

I wonder if this Government needs relationship therapy?

No amount of self-deceived, propaganda about the inherant 'goodness' of mines will resolve the issues that will be caused by this project.
As far as I can see the government is so head-over-heals in love with mining companies that they are willing to roll over and wach the country raped by their partner of convenience. What wouldn't they be willing to sacrifice for the sake of continuing a sick relationship?
Time will tell what the true cost of this abusive relationship will have on us citizens, the neglected children of wayward parents.


The people will continue to speak against this decision and action has been planned to remind the Government of their responsibilities please see the forwarded email below:


The Environment Centre NT and the Borroloola People are holding two days of action next week to focus attention on the McArthur River.

Over 40 traditional owners (Yanyuwa, Garrawa, Mara and Gurdanji People) will be in Darwin, they will be travelling over 900km to get here.

Show your support for the River and the Traditional Owners by;

1. Demonstrating support for McArthur at Parliament House, in the gardens from 10am, filling the Public Gallery at 2-3pm on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th.

2. Attending a Don’t muck up the McArthur Public Meeting, Museum and Art Gallery NT, Fannie Bay at 6.30pm on Tuesday 17th October.

For more information call 8981 1984 or email ecntdaly@iinet.net.au


-----------------------------------------------------------------


For those who are unaware of the strength of the TO’s opposition, here are some statements from the Borroloola Traditional Elders Group (BTEG) 25th Sept 2006.

“The BTEG are united in their position that the McArthur River, Surprise Creek and Barney Creek must not be shifted from their current position”

“The Gurdanji people know that our gudgiga, our songs and stories, will be destroyed by the shifting of our creeks and rivers”

“The Yanyuwa people know that the McArthur River and our coast and islands are already being polluted with heavy metals. The pollution will only get worse if they shift the rivers.”

Thankyou


Charles Roche
Freshwater Campaigner


Environment Centre NT
PO Box 2120, Darwin NT 0801
Ph. 08 8941 7439
Fax. 08 8941 0387
Mob. 044 888 7303
Email. ecntdaly@iinet.net.au

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?

While there's still time

Please check the Environment Centre NT for updates on action to raise awareness of an immanent threat to The McArthur River.

On the ABC tomorrow night at 7:30 Stateline will be running another story on the McArthur river.

If you prefer to remain aloof, disconnected or blissfully ignorant of environmental issues you might be slightly disturbed by this comment Aldous Huxley once made:

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored"

What a fact is I'm not entirely sure but If my conscience tells me something is wrong it doesn't cease to be so when I look the other way.


Some more articles on the McArthur River:

Howard backs NT zinc mine expansion
The Australian October 04, 2006
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20523920-5006790,00.html


Message Stick Wednesday, 27 September 2006
http://www.abc.net.au/message/news/stories/ms_news_1749635.htm

ABC NT Tuesday, 3 October 2006. 17:43 (AEDT)
http://abc.net.au/news/items/200610/1754729.htm?nt

Please don't look the other way

NEWS FLASH...McArthur River

ABC TV 7:30 Report: Transcript 02.10.2006
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1753910.htm

Today's Newspapers running a story on the McArthur River Mine Check out the Story at online here:

The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/news/
Sydney Morning Herrald
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/owners-fight-miners-river-plan

More on the McArthur River

My father rang from Melbourne last night, a little exited. He just seen a story on the 7:30 report about the McArthur River Mine. There is an element of doubt about the wisdom of granting this mining lease and it's growing fast!




The current mine site


Last night I met with my local member Len Kiely who acknowledged Xstrata’s poor track record when it came to community involvement. He had visited the site during the wet (why? I did not ask) and conceded that a huge amount of water builds up over a very large area that the mine would be built in. He was sympathetic to some people’s fears about the validity of the mine and conceded that there might be considerable risks involved. However as far as he is concerned the government is following the correct process and the proposal (in theory) has been approved by the Minister for the Environment and is currently in the hands of the Minister for Mines Mr Chris Nat. He gave me little hope that there was any way of stopping the approval of the mine and indicated that as proper procedure had been followed he did not intend to go against the decision to mine if it were made.

I challenged him that if the mine was granted the plan is so ridiculous that his government would likely still be in office when the toxic mining waste hits the fan and their popularity might suffer terribly. I warned him that although there had only been a few people present at the day of action in front of Parliament house last week, momentum was growing and there will be more opposition and more action in the weeks to come.

Have we been given any reason to think we can trust Xstrata with the life of this River?

The ABC's 7:30 Report last night ran a 10 minute story on the issue and revealed a little bit of the history of the mine. They were originally granted the right to mine after the Keating Government, (in the interest of profiteering for maximum return and maximum damage) passed legislation that allowed for approval of mining leases prior to the submission of environmental impact reports or any of the other safeguards that the public require for sound decision making. Mines could then be fast tracked into operation and the paperwork and various reports could be submitted retrospectively. How arse up is that? But basically saying that our environmental measure have no real value and so can be disregarded and diluted into worthless pages of toilet paper.

The Mine's presence appears to have had no meaningful beneficial impact on the community of Borroloola and it's activities are threatening the very life blood of the people who live along the river.

Please look at these images taken from Google Earth.
You can easily see the tributaries diverging on the river all around the flood plain tht the mine site is nested on top of (and under). The river then flows into a large rock outcrop that must act as a bottle neck for all that water in the wet season causing it to bank up and collect in the area that the new mine is proposed. If you can imagine this scene in the wet it would look like an enormous dam, and Xstrata think they can build a mine at the bottom of it!




(The mine site is in the top right hand quarter of this image)


(Mine north of centre in this image)


Please send the Chief Minister and Minister for Mines and Energy a message.

http://www.ecnt.org/html/cur_mining_mcarthur_submit.html


You Can Make a Diference
We must act NOW

DON'T MUCK UP
THE McARTHUR!

The McArthur River Mine is situated upstream of Borroloola. An underground mine has operated there for some time, with various failures in containing pollution. Now there is a proposal to build an open-cut mine in the riverbed itself. The company are proposing that the river can be diverted but this is an extremely unlikely scenario given that flooding is a natural part of the hydrology of the area and much of the land is actually below the flood line.







My Thoughts
The word sustainable is lobbed around by politicians as if they have a crystal ball that subjectively deletes any negative effects of their actions!
Is the sustainability of our economy based only on a series of short-term profits? Are mining leases granted in the name of the national economy regardless of damage caused to an ecosystem that has successfully sustained the lives of people for tens of thousands of years?

Last night’s meeting at the Groove has prompted me into action. The organisers from the WWF and Environment Centre provided various pieces of information but it was later speakers who emphasized the need for action to be taken now, before it is too late. One man said it's time for the people (traditional owners) to stand up. I hope we all do! I hope this is only the beginning and that the people make a very strong demonstration to the government about how we feel about the way our natural resources are plundered!

Barbara McCarthy made a very moving and forceful speech that was absolutely inspirational. She challenged the government to consider the folly of allowing a mining company to pollute a valuable freshwater system at a time when we are on the brink of a worldwide freshwater crisis. Congratulations Barbara you are a person of strength and integrity your courage to speak against the short-term profit chasers is valiant example we all should follow. Keep it up hopefuly other members of the government will see reason. You have shown us without a doubt that you are there for the people.

The governments consideration of this outrageous plan makes it obvious that short-term profit making takes precedence over the future needs of the people of this country. Do the Territory and Federal Governments see the environment as worth no more than what it costs to circumvent bureaucratic red tape!

If you want to know more check out the Environment Centre NT website:
http://www.ecnt.org/html/cur_mining_mcarthur.html