Yanyuwa elders from Borroloola in the Northern Territory have arrived in Darwin to attend this week’s Federal Court case against the Commonwealth.
The case follows the approval of expansions at the McArthur River Mine, allowing the company to convert from an underground to an open-cut mine and divert five kilometres of the McArthur River.
Traditional owners from Borroloola are challenging whether the Commonwealth followed due process in approving the changes.
A man claiming cultural ties to the McArthur River Mine (MRM) site says a group of women and children have been refused entry to sacred land by management.
Jackie Green says about 25 people wanted to perform a cultural dance on land just inside the boundaries of the mine site yesterday, but were stopped at the gate.
The group had a documentary film crew and a representative of the Territory Environment Centre with them.
Mr Green says the mine should allow local Indigenous people to exercise their culture on the land.
“We can’t exercise our culture any more because they’ve got that lease and they’re stopping us from doing that,” he said.
Mr Green says he was embarrassed when a mining company executive arrived at the stand-off in a helicopter.
“The manager of McArthur Mine, Brian Hearne, landed the chopper, right in front of the Toyota that I was driving,” he said.
“All the dust and grass was blowing into my kid’s eyes, and that was really embarrassing.
“We feel no good because we can’t go back in there and exercise our culture.”
A new video showing the culture of Traditional Owners from McArthur River. The impact of the mining and diversion of the McArthur River on the Traditional Owners has never been properly acknowledged or considered.
Member: Mr MILLS
To: MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
The Chief Minister has told Territorians that the primary reason the indigenous members of this House did not support the MRM bill was because of the timing of the funeral at Borroloola. What was your objection to the MRM bill? Was it simply the case the timing was wrong or was it the case that you objected to the bill because it would have the effect of taking away the established rights of traditional owners?
ANSWER
MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE: Madam Speaker, I am not going to thank the member for Blain for his question because he is just playing gutter politics with this whole thing. This matter is old news. The legislation passed through this House, is in operation and the mine is proceeding. As I have said, and if the member for Blain had bothered reading my interview with the Northern Territory News [see also article from the Australian], I said that I had difficulties with the timing, however, I supported the legislation. I do not intend to go over those issues again. You can try to twist and turn this as much as you want, that there were issues. I have explained that, and, yes, I was at a union function.
