NSW Premier Chris Minns has expressed his displeasure over the federal government’s decision to block a planned waste site for a AU$1 billion gold mine in central western NSW.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek blocked the site due to its impact on sacred aboriginal land, leaving the mine’s future bleak. The eleventh-hour decision was slammed by Minns, who said it was “absolutely” the wrong call, Sky News reported.
“I’m disappointed by the decision from the commonwealth government,” he said. “The application was made in 2019. It’s gone through the Independent Planning and Assessment Commission, as well as every other government department in NSW.”
“And to be knocked over at the eleventh hour is disappointing in terms of mining gold and other critical minerals in NSW, which we desperately need because coal mining is under pressure, particularly when it comes to export markets.”
Minns said he was hopeful that the company would find a different dumping ground, but was unsure if the government could extend any help regarding the same, News. co.au reported.
Pilbersek blocked the McPhillamys Gold Project using her ministerial capacity to protect the aboriginal land, even though the cultural significance of the site was disputed. The Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council (OLALC) disagreed with the minister’s assessment, stating that the mine “would not harm any known sites or artifacts of high cultural significance.”
In a submission to the NSW government, the OLALC has stated that some claims about Aboriginal cultural heritage were being made by people and groups without the required knowledge, skills, and credentials.
“We question the motives of people and organisations who participate in promoting unsubstantiated claims and seek to hijack Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in order to push other agendas,” the submission read.
Pilbersek said the ruling was issued after talking to the Wiradyuri people, who expressed concerns over “sacred songlines” passing through the Belubula River, the site of the proposed tailings dam, and advised her to make this decision.
