Mining

Labor Backflip on 2001 Pre-election Promise

No Ban on Mining in National Parks - April 2002

BIG NEWS was the Territory Labor party's complete backdown from its pre-election promise to ban mining and mineral exploration in National Parks.

The Environment Centre NT (ECNT) surveyed all parties on a range of environmental issues prior to last year's Territory election. The following is extracted from the Labor Party response, which came from Clare Martin's office:

Q. In Government will your party ban mineral exploration and mining in all National Parks and conservation reserves?

A. Labor will ban mining in National Parks and assess conservation reserves on a case-by-case basis.

ECNT has since received a letter from Paul Henderson, Minister for Resource Development, which completely contradicts this position. Part of the letter states.

"Exploration and mining in Northern Territory National Parks and reserves would only be permitted under strict conditions and where the proposed activity did not significantly impact on the purpose for which the park or reserve was created."

On contacting both Minister Henderson and the Chief Minister's offices seeking clarification ECNT discovered that the NT Government had decided to renege on its pre-election promise. With only 5% of the NT in our National Parks estate, the failure by the new Government to guarantee the integrity of our National Parks is extremely disappointing.

The back-down signals a 'develop at all costs' attitude that will short-change Territorians and the NT environment if maintained. The only likely supporters of this extraordinary position are the ALP, the CLP and the mining industry.

The backdown also raises questions about the status of other pro-environment promises made by Territory Labor in the lead up to last year's election and leaves ECNT and the broader electorate wondering what to believe.

The backdown came during an assessment of mineral exploration applications in the West MacDonnell National Park, applied for under the previous government. ECNT was seeking clarification of how the Government was planning to implement its policy commitment when we realised that the Government had changed its policy.

Following considerable media interest in the backflip, Paul Henderson has since announced that his department had rejected three applications for minerals exploration in the West MacDonnell National Park.

Further to this on the 28th March the Minister for Central Australia, Peter Toyne, announced that the whole of the West MacDonnell National Park would be protected from mining. This is obviously good news but according to their pre-election promise, the Labor Government should never have considered the applications in the first place. Moreover the new ban on mining in the West MacDonnells demonstrates how vulnerable our other National Parks are and acknowledges that mining does pose a threat to some Parks. Do we now have protected and non-protected National Parks?

ECNT will continue to pressure the Government on this issue. The only acceptable outcome is a reaffirmation of their previous position – a complete ban on mining in all National Parks.

Back to top

What You Can Do

We encourage you to let the Chief Minister, Clare Martin, the Resource Development Minster, Paul Henderson, and your local member know that this backflip is unacceptable.

Demand that the Labor Government commit to its promise to ban mining.

Write to: Ms Martin and Mr Henderson
c/- Parliament House, Darwin, 0800
or
phone or email Clare Martin: chiefminister.nt@nt.gov.au
and Paul Henderson: minister.henderson@nt.gov.au

MORE INFORMATION

Back to top