'We will not agree to this mine'

By Sue Brooke

MELBOURNE — "Our people fought for the right to land, for the Land Rights Act. We don't want to be managers for any more destruction on our land. We will not agree to this mine and we'll take whatever action is necessary to stop it".

Jacqui Katona, executive officer of the Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, addressed a public meeting of 70 people here on October 24. The meeting was jointly organised by Friends of the Earth and Justice for Indigenous Australians to discuss the Howard government's proposal for a second uranium mine in Kakadu National Park.

Katona pointed out that the local Aboriginal community had fought uranium mining in the 1970s, but ended up agreeing to the Ranger uranium mine only after being told that, if they didn't, the Northern Territory Land Rights Act would be withdrawn.

Dave Sweeney, Friends of the Earth's anti-uranium campaigner, said that the "federal Liberal government wants to see open slather uranium mining", especially as Australia has 30% of the world deposits of uranium. "If you can get away with a uranium mine in a national park, then you can get away with a uranium mine anywhere", said Sweeney.

Sweeney outlined the lack of accountability and statistics on leaks, spills and accidents documented by Friends of the Earth. The Ranger mine has had at least 40 such incidents.

From GLW issue 252