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End of an ERA for controversial Kakadu uranium mine supplied by Environment Centre 18 October 2015
T
he Environment Centre has welcomed news today that troubled uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia have formally acknowledged the end of uranium mining at Ranger and efforts to secure an extension to its mining authority past 2021. ERA formally reported to the stock market that the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation has advised that the Mirarr Traditional Owners do not support an extension to the Ranger Authority. The announcement is a formal acknowledgement that attempts to secure stakeholder support for an extension of mining authority past 2021 have failed. Lauren Mellor, Nuclear Free Campaigner, said: “Imposed uranium mining at Ranger has been responsible for three decades of heartache and headlines for Traditional Owners and Territorians concerned about the future of our most precious World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. “Today’s announcement that ERA have formally accepted the end of the mining era at Ranger is welcome indeed. It is time now for the era of rehabilitation and a staged and managed exit from Kakadu to begin.” In July, parent company Rio Tinto made an offer of a conditional credit facility of $300 million to make up an expected shortfall in ERA’s rehabilitation funds amid growing concerns that the operator’s significant financial losses would compromise clean-up efforts. Under the Ranger Authorisation, ERA is legally mandated to rehabilitate the Ranger mining site
Above: Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation Board of Directors. Image: GAC. Below: Ranger mine on Mirarr Traditional Owners land. Image: antinuclear.net
by 2026 to a standard whereby the site can be incorporated into the surrounding dual World-Heritagelisted Kakadu National Park. Mellor said: “ERA must now accept full financial responsibility for the costly and complex task of rehabilitation, accept Rio’s funding offer and cooperate with all stakeholders in the transition to a post-mining phase of operations.”
The Environment Centre NT has called on the NT and Commonwealth Governments to initiate a post-mining transition stakeholder taskforce to begin the urgent task of ensuring the environment, Traditional Owners and the needs of the local community are protected when mining operations wind down.
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NOTICE OF IMAN PEOPLE NATIVE TITLE AUTHORISATION MEETING The Applicants of the Iman #2 Native Title Claim have called an authorisation meeting for the following purposes: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Approve a draft S87 or a S87A order for a Determination of Native Title over the Iman #2 native title claim. Authorise the Wardingarri Aboriginal Corporation to hold Native Title in Trust for the Iman #2 and be the Registered Prescribed Body Corporate. Authorise an ILUA with Ergon Energy over the Iman #2 claim area. Authorise the following ILUA’s with pastoralists (maps of the ILUA area will be available at the meeting): Name of ILUA Iman People/Comely and Mapala ILUA
5. 6.
Pastoralist Party Consolidated Pastoral Company Pty Limited ACN 010 080 654 Iman People/Coorada ILUA Brian John Atkins Eion Evan Atkins Iman People/Glenhaughton ILUA Avon Ross Hamilton Carol Hamilton Nathan Jay Hamilton Iman People/Glenleigh ILUA Patrick Robert Scott Joan Marjorie Cogill William Robert Cogill Kathleen Ann Harrison Iman People/Korcha ILUA Owen Arthur William Price Brigid Ann Price Arthur William Price Gail Lorraine Price Iman People/Woodine ILUA Andrew Douglas Simmons Tracey Robin Simmons Narelle Effie Simmons Authorise a further Native Title Claim over the shaded area of the Map contained in this notice and authorise Applicants to prosecute the new claim. Authorise compensation claims for native title that has been extinguished over the Iman #2 claim area and the area of the new claim.
The arrangements for the meeting are as follows: Date
31 October 2015
Time
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Venue: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Conference Centre, cnr Yeppoon Road & Bruce Highway North Rockhampton Only the descendants of the following Iman ancestors will be entitled to participate in the meeting: Mary Arwa, Jim Waterton, Ada Robinson, Maggie Palmtree, Lizzie Palmtree, Eliza Shields, Mary Ann (mother of Maggie Dunn), Fanny Waddy/Sandy, Dick Bundi/Bundai and Alice Dutton and the mother of John Serico (known as Aggie). Travel Assistance Assistance with travel will be provided only to those who register by 4.00pm on Monday 19 October 2015. Persons who registered but did not attend the previous authorization meeting of 14 September 2013 will not be eligible for assistance on this occasion. Please Contact Kylie on 0458 781 504 or 0481 151 750 to register for the meeting. Registration is from 8:00 am.
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