3 days ago
Calls for federal environment minister to decide fate of mine tailings dam in Tasmania's Tarkine
Ideologically, they are at loggerheads, but there is one thing locals of a remote Tasmanian mining town and conservationists agree on — the federal environment minister needs to hurry up and make a decision about a controversial project.
Mining company MMG has been operating in Rosebery for more than 85 years and employs about 500 workers and contractors. The majority of workers are Tasmanian, and a substantial number live on the west coast.
The part Chinese-owned company wants to build a new tailings dam for its zinc, copper and lead mine to store 25 million cubic metres of acid sulphide waste, which it maintains is necessary to operate beyond 2030.
But environmental groups are vehemently opposed, saying it would "destroy" precious Takayna/Tarkine rainforest with "toxic mine sludge".
The proposal has not budged for more than four years.
Rosebery locals, such as Mike Wakefield, fear that without the dam's green light, the town will collapse.
"We all depend on that dam," he said.
"Without [the mine] we're useless. We're like a ship in the middle of the ocean ready to sink.
Three months into his role as federal environment minister, Murray Watt said there were many approvals to work through.
"To be frank, I haven't had a single briefing on that project since I took over the role as minister," he said while visiting Tasmania on Thursday.
"Once I've been briefed on that, I'll be in a position to give you some more information.
"We don't respond to what [the Bob Brown Foundation] sees as a priority. We respond to the hundreds of projects that we consider … need to be dealt with.
"In some cases, we rely on proponents to supply us with information. In some cases it takes time to interpret that information, but we always operate as quickly as we possibly can to apply the law."
That does not sit well in Rosebery.
Mr Wakefield said former federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek should hang "her head in shame", and Labor should have dealt with it by now.
"While [politicians are] sitting in their nice houses, getting good wages, getting good monies, we suffer out here if it doesn't happen," he said.
Resident Charles Mawer is frustrated by environmental groups, who he blames for putting Rosebery's future on hold.
"If they could shut this mine down, they'd be the happiest people in the world," he said.
Mr Wakefield said while he understood why environmental groups were concerned, there was more to the picture.
"But what they don't understand is their actions affect people here, and they need to come out and live here for a while and see," he said.
Remote, small and lacking resources and services, Rosebery Neighbourhood House coordinator Tania Blake said MMG poured a lot back into the community, including the school.
She said without the mine, the organisation would be supporting more families.
"There's a need for certainty in the community," she said.
"We need to make sure that [Mr Watt is] briefed on it and gets across it soon.
The Bob Brown Foundation is staging a blockade at the site, where hundreds of activists have spent "many, many nights" over the years.
They too are frustrated by Mr Watt.
"He's the environment minister. He's the leading environmentalist who can give World Heritage Protection to Takayna, so it's not good enough that it's taken this long," campaign manager Jenny Weber said.
"We are now on stand-by here in the beautiful Takayna to see if Murray Watt chooses to destroy this place.
"It's a beautiful, stunning nature that is going to be completely destroyed, entirely swamped, by toxic mine sludge, if the tailings dam is to be allowed to proceed."
She wants to see MMG explore the possibility of putting mine waste below the mine instead.
"We believe that Rosebery does have a future without a tailings dam in Takayna," she said.
West Coast Mayor Shane Pitt said all ministers had priorities, but the project was vital for the region and he would nudge Mr Watt.
"But you know, there's a lot of work that needs to be done on these issues as well, so he needs the time to be able to read through the documentation."
