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Storm clouds gather for Kakadu uranium miner

Media Release - Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre NT Inc.

30 October 2001 - Traditional owners refused Jabiluka access for inspection.
The Mirrar people, the traditional owners of the area which includes the Jabiluka uranium project in Kakadu, have today joined with key environment groups in a call to halt company plans for the disposal of contaminated water at the controversial mine site.

The call follows the refusal by uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) to allow a requested pre-wet season site inspection. ERA has withheld access approval for representatives of the Mirrar and key national and regional environment groups who were scheduled to visit the Jabiluka site today to inspect a new water management system based on land irrigation of mine water.

"Traditional owners have serious concerns about water management on site," said Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation executive officer Andy Ralph. "ERA are about to commence irrigating the water on site and increasing the contaminated area by 50%. The coming wet season will increase water management problems at Jabiluka and the fact that the company has refused to allow us to visit the site today has heightened our concerns."

"Traditional owners and environment groups are calling for all hazards on site to be neutralized and for the site to be fully rehabilitated."

Construction at Jabiluka ceased in September 1999 as a result of traditional owner and community opposition to the mine. The mine continues to be the focus of opposition and protest and traditional owners and environment groups have called for ERA’s majority owner Rio Tinto Ltd to actively support rehabilitation and hazard removal of the Jabiluka mine site.

"Today’s development is further proof that ERA is shifting the goalposts in terms of water management at Jabiluka said Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Dave Sweeney. "In the original Environmental Impact Statement the company stated all contaminated water will be contained on-site. ERA is now resorting to irrigation to dispose of water contaminated with uranium and other materials. The real rains haven’t even started but there are serious stormclouds heading in ERA’s direction."

For further information and comment:

Justin O’Brien, Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation

Dave Sweeney, Anti-nuclear campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation

Mark Wakeham, Coordinator, Environment Centre Northern Territory

Further information: jabiluka issues page - includes news index and external links