Greens MLC Robin Chapple calls on the Premier to take responsibility for the radioactive risks of the Mt Weld rare earths mine.
Premier Barnett today announced the “opening” of the Mt Weld rare earths mine.
“The mine has been in operation for some years, and stockpiling the ore. What this opening signals, is the beginning of exports of the radioactive processed ore, through Fremantle Port, and on to Malaysia, said Mr Chapple.
“The rare earths ore is more dangerous than the lead exported by Magellan Metals, but it will be packaged in the same bags, and brought into Fremantle on trucks, with even greater risk of spills. The ore contains thorium, a radioactive substance emitting alpha radiation.
“Given the debacle with lead export, and the government’s failure to uphold regulation, I have serious concerns about the export of radioactive substances through Fremantle Port.
“Malaysian Members of Parliament have been in contact with my office, as they are campaigning against the processing plant in Malaysia which will result in the legacy of radioactive toxic waste in their community.
“Although the Premier refers to the Malaysian facility as “purpose built” it does not yet have regulatory approval to operate, and is strenuously opposed by the local community. The processing plant has been reviewed by engineers, and the residents have lodged a police complaint about the shonky construction and design faults at the facility.
The Malaysian community representatives will be holding a press conference this evening in response to this announcement.
Comment from the Malaysian spokesperson can be arranged through Ms Lee Tan, ACF Asia Pacific Campaigner, 0417 082 294.
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
I support Matt Eggleston’s call for a long term mine plan for KCGM which incorporates the acquisition/purchase of properties around Mt Percy/Williamstown. I also support the call for a $2 dollars an ounce community trust fund being set up to assist with community infrastructure projects, sports development and indigenous employment opportunities.
“Information to hand shows that the owners of KCGM, Barrick and Newmont, are sitting on existing known gold resources that can comfortably push the life of mine way beyond the year 2040. Whilst I appreciate the need for caution in long term planning which is always subject to the gold price, clearly Newmont has been able to plan 40 years ahead with their Boddington mine, so it can be done here” Mr Chapple said.
“A stable long term planned mine life would be fantastic for the City of Kalgoorlie Boulder and would enable better long term strategic planning for the city and community”.
“It would be prudent to have a long term plan which incorporates Mt Percy/Williamstown. It’s far cheaper to be mining open pit oxide ore from the surface to several hundred meters deep in the Mt Percy/Williamstown area than from the greater depths at the existing super pit operations.”
“It is also good business practice and more economical to mine the resources in the Mt Percy/Williamstown area, in conjunction with the Superpit while the price of gold is high, and it would be a good contingency plan in the event of a major pit wall slippage at the existing Superpit” Mr Chapple stated.
“For quite some time it has been rumored that Williamstown residents have been demanding large sums of money for the sale of their properties. Correspondence from the KCGM General Manager to the Williamstown Residents Committee in July once again rebuts that notion.”
Without a doubt Newmont and Barrick need to take a long term approach to all the existing gold resources under their ownership in the whole area. As I have already said mining companies should not warehouse mineral resources but put them into purposeful plans, if not then they should be returned to the State.
“Kalgoorlie Boulder has been losing out without a meaningful community trust fund and I am pleased that other people are starting to recognise that. In 1990 Gold Mines of Kalgoorlie were donating approximately 1 million dollars to a community trust fund, more recently KCGM’s direct contributions have shrunk to around two hundred thousand dollars per annum.” Mr Chapple stated
“Companies like Norton Goldfields, a smaller producer, with board approval agreed to donate $2 dollars an ounce to the community, while Barrick and Newmont’s direct community donation of $200,000 dollars through KCGM is a drop in the ocean compared to the wealth that they are ripping out of the super pit.
With KCGM’s annual production at around 800,000 ounces a year, a community trust fund of $2 dollars an ounce would mean around $1.6 million dollars annually being donated to the community. The former community trust fund helped fund the goldfields art centre, WA school of mines, Royal Flying Doctor Service and many other community projects.
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple is troubled by reports of arrests in response to 30 days of peaceful protest aimed at protecting the nature and culture of James Price Point north of Broome.
“Woodside is bringing in bulldozers to clear land at James Price Point. We are concerned that they do so without the approvals required under the Aboriginal Heritage Act, and Department of Indigenous Affairs Compliance Team investigation is still ongoing, and not yet finalised ,” Mr Chapple said.
“I have written to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs about this matter and I call on him now to ensure that Woodside does not proceed to destroy registered Aboriginal heritage sites at James Price Point. It is critical that the Minister ensure his Department is acting properly in this case.
“Woodside is yet to gain approvals from the Federal Environment Minister, and I echo the calls of Greens Senators Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam, for the Minister to fulfill the duties of his office and step in to prevent further works before the environmental assessment process is completed,” Mr Chapple said.
Mr Chapple stands in support with the community blockade.
“Contrary to accusations of protesters being trouble-makers, they are community members, including business people from the Broome Chamber of Commerce, Aboriginal women and men, and many other family members who have made Broome their home – these are the people who are blockading James Price Point.
“The blockade organisers have undertaken nonviolence training, and blockade members are committed to nonviolent protest.
“I congratulate the campaigners on this decision, and urge the Police command to ensure that no violence occurs in the Policing operation,” Mr Chapple said.
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
Today Premier Barnett hosted a photo opportunity signing papers for the James Price Point development. Mr Barnett released a ‘timeline’ of the steps to this historic day.
Greens MP Robin Chapple questioned the Premier’s account saying, “The Premier is whitewashing history, seeking to blot out his government’s betrayal of Aboriginal people, the Broome community and the environment.
“The first betrayal is the Premier's failure to live up to State government’s commitment to properly assess siting the LNG hub in the Pilbara, within existing or alternate industrial precincts.
“A further betrayal is this Government’s role in facilitating Woodside’s bulldozers onto the JPP site before the Commonwealth approvals process has been completed, and while the area is being considered for World Heritage listing.
“The betrayal of Aboriginal people can be seen in the Premier’s own timeline. It confirms that agreement for the project was only achieved after the State government commenced a compulsory acquisition process, to forcibly take the land from the Traditional Owners.
“There is little to celebrate or get excited about today with the signing of these papers, as the project awaits an investment decision from Woodside and its Joint Venture Partners Shell, Chevron, BP and BHP-Billiton. It really is just at the amber light stage.
“On the other hand, there is much to celebrate as the blockade at James Price Point goes from strength to strength, with growing support among the Broome community and across the country.
“The West Australian community has pulled together to save iconic environmental sites before, and I am optimistic that we can do it again to save James Price Point,” Mr Chapple said.
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
