Jabiluka Mine Pushing Ahead Despite Election Year Controversy

by Andrew Darby

The pledge drew cautious support from both Native and enviro organizations. But the mining company, Energy Resources of Australia (ERA), said it is confident it has met legal requirements to build the mine in Kakadu National Park whoever wins the election.

ERA chief executive Phillip Shirvington said that it plans to push on with mine construction during the coming tropical wet season. Some opponents of the mine, which has been the focus of a lengthy and intense protest campaign, had hoped the wet season would prevent mining work continuing.

Hill had denied approval for ERA to dispose of the mine's tailings in a cement paste to be dumped in specially- built pits at the location, saying the disposal method was scientifically unproven.

Shirvington said the option would require further studies by ERA, which the company was confident would have a "positive outcome."

"Development of the Jabiluka mine commenced in June 1998 and is now well advanced with the construction of the retention pond and the entrance to the underground mine expected to be complete prior to the onset of the wet season, to enable construction of the [underground access road] to continue during the wet season," Shirvington said.

The Australian Conservation Foundation's executive director, Don Henry, said the method of returning all the mine tailings below ground faces insurmountable technical difficulties.

"[The Resources Minister's] approval for this option is simply a way to move the process along for ERA," Henry said. He described the decision as a cynical and shabby ruse to get the next stage of the approvals process out of the way before the October election.

The party's policy is to permit no new uranium mines, but its view of Jabiluka hinges on whether it is regarded as an "existing" mine. Preparation work began on the site in June and has continued unhindered by the arrests of hundreds in mass protests, though no uranium yield is expected until 1999.

ERA's Shirvington said it has 15 sales contracts in place that would qualify for the issue of an export permit. "The Labor Party will have to make up its own mind what to do, but we are confident we have done everything we needed to do in order to qualify Jabiluka as an existing mine,"he told Australia's ABC radio.

The Labor letter said that in the party's view, Jabiluka does not have the federal government approvals needed to be considered an existing mine.

But they left a caveat, promising to give ERA the chance to put forward its position after the election to discover if there was "relevant compelling material or legal determination" to change a new Labor government's mind.

This left the president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Peter Garrett, in doubt about the strength of the Labor commitment. Garrett called for the Party to "clarify and expand" on their position. "It's still really important to hear from Labor on what their position is going to be on the mine, full stop. Without the odd legal clause and escape hatch that exists in this document," he said.

A representative of the Mirrar traditional owners, Jacqui Katona, also expressed concern at Labor's statement that it would review its position if ERA pursues legal action.

In this election for Australia's national government, the main issue is the conservative Liberal/National coalition's plan to launch new taxes, including a national goods and services tax.

The environment is not expected to figure highly in the campaign. But Labor sources said that Jabiluka would be the main focus of their environmental attention. "That's all that people are calling us about," one staffer said.