they're back - so it's time to act!

Marathon's project rattles on for another 12 months despite it's chequered history and clear public opposition.

The Adelaide Advertiser has started examining some of the Labor links of the lobbying muscle being deployed on the company's behalf -

Labor mates' lobbying a 'threat' to Arkaroola

* Sarah Martin, Political Reporter
* From: The Advertiser
* December 21, 2010 12:00AM

POWERFUL lobbyists connected to the Labor Party are winning the fight to mine Arkaroola.

Negotiations between Marathon Resources and the State Government began yesterday after the Government said it would renew the mining company's exploration licence for another year.

Marathon was suspended from drilling for uranium on the northern Flinders Ranges site two years ago after dumping waste in breach of its licence conditions, but new exploration conditions are now being negotiated. Sanctuary directors and conservation groups say the powerful forces backing Marathon - including a Chinese government-owned shareholder - mean protecting the area faces tough opposition.

Former Labor senator John Quirke is the registered lobbyist for Marathon, while another former Labor senator Chris Schacht is a company director. Labor powerbroker and union heavyweight Paul Howes has also lent his support to mining in Arkaroola.

Premier Mike Rann and Mineral Resources Minister Paul Holloway have both met representatives from CITIC, one of the largest state-owned conglomerates in China and a 17 per cent shareholder in Marathon.

Arkaroola Sanctuary director Marg Sprigg said she feared the lobbying effort would be stepped up over the next 12 months to allow Marathon to resume drilling.

Greens MLC Mark Parnell said the project was being pushed by "a conga-line of Labor luminaries". "Governments should make decisions on the basis of sound advice, not the sound of highly paid lobbyists whispering in their ears," he said.

A Government spokesperson said it was considering conservation options for the sanctuary.

You can make your own comment on this piece here -

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/labor-mates-lobbying-threat-to-arkaroola/story-fn6bqphm-1225974152919


sticker up!


And you can secure yourself a place in environmental campaigning history by displaying a soon-to-be iconic 'No Mine in Arkaroola' sticker on your car (see above).

Grab your sticker by contacting The Wilderness Society here in Adelaide; phone 8231 6586, or drop in at 7th Floor, 118 King William Street in the city, just north of the Pirie Street intersection.

(While not required a donation would help TWS in the production of more of the stickers! Some organizations aren't quite as cashed up as others... :-) )

 

they're baaaack!...

 
...but what does it all mean?

The SA government has announced the renewal of Marathon's exploration lease over the weekend.

However, what we don't know is the terms under which the exploration component of the lease may be undertaken. In fact, the government has announced that it will be discussing those terms with the company over the next month or so.

This begs an obvious question - why are they not also discussing these terms with Marg and Doug Sprigg, the owners of the Arkaroola Sanctuary? Who better understands the direct impact of exploration activity in these wild, semi-arid ranges?

The widespread and embarrassing scientific criticism of Seeking a Balance, their 'mining access plan' for the northern Flinders Ranges - particularly that coming from the SA Museum - hardly leaves Mike Rann's team in a position where they can credibly claim to have the environmental nous to supervise a mining company operating in this highly sensitive region.

Acting on minerals' minister Paul Holloway's behalf, science minister Jack Snelling has announced -

"There'll be stronger conditions on their exploration activities, stronger controls," he said.

"The Government's also looking at what its options are with respect to protecting the area and that could possibly mean the exclusion of mining to the most environmentally sensitive parts of Arkaroola."

What does it all mean? Of course there will be 'stronger conditions' on exploration activities - the changes recently made to the Mining Act were triggered by Marathon's waste dumping scandal in Arkaroola! So conditions are 'stronger' already; but what else do they have in mind?

And the exclusion of mining from 'the most sensitive parts' of Arkaroola makes perfect sense if we take an honest look and announce that the whole range area of the Sanctuary is 'the sensitive part'! Other than that we're just back in the dithering, 'dog's breakfast' crazy-quilt zoning territory of the already thoroughly-discredited Seeking a Balance!

It's difficult not to conclude, like Greens MLC Mark Parnell, that 'they're having a bet both ways', holding out hope to both conservationists and miners!

We were promised an official government response to the public submissions on Seeking a Balance along with this lease renewal, by the way, and we look forward to that shortly being made available.


one year only and no autorenewal


The company is being told they're only getting the one year on the exploration lease, and there'll be no automatic right of renewal upon expiration. Some of of us doubt there ever really was an automatic right of renewal to an exploration lease, but Minister Holloway has rather gone out of his way in parliament to justify himself on the basis of these supposed 'automatic expectations'. So, does this amount to painting one's way back out of the corner?

At any rate, clearly it's in the public interest that no company should expect that they're entitled to a renewal of any lease to access public resources.

And the public is definitely entitled to see the highest possible levels of protection for this iconic area of our State. It's time to end the farce of pretending that these necessary protections and mining can co-exist.

Extension granted for mining exploration [ABC online South Australia 20/12/2010]

Mining company Marathon Resources has had its exploration licence for the Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia extended by one year.

The company applied for a further two years exploration after the licence expired in October.

Acting Mineral Resources Development Minister, Jack Snelling, says the State Government was obliged to approve the application under the Mining Act, but only by one year.

Marathon was caught illegally dumping waste at Arkaroola in 2008. [My link BJD]

Mr Snelling says the company will have stricter operating conditions and will no longer have a right of renewal.

He says the government will consult with the company over the next month to develop the details of the licence.

"There'll be stronger conditions on their exploration activities, stronger controls," he said.

"The Government's also looking at what its options are with respect to protecting the area and that could possibly mean the exclusion of mining to the most environmentally sensitive parts of Arkaroola."

The manager of the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Marg Sprigg, says the changes are a step in the right direction.

"We would've preferred if Marathon hadn't had their licence renewed but we understand the Government's position on this and the struggle to protect Arkaroola will continue on, but it is a clear indication to us that the Government recognises the long term sustainable value of places like Arkaroola," she said.

But Greens MP Mark Parnell says the Government should have banned mining in the area.

"The Government is mucking around with the long term protection of Arkaroola, they're having a bet both ways," he said.

"They're holding out hope to the mining companies that they'll be allowed back in and they're holding out hope to conservationists that long term protection is just around the corner."