TASMANIAN Minister for Resources, Paul Harriss and independent Senator, Jacqui Lambie have slammed the anti-mining position of the state’s Greens party and conservation groups in separate addresses to the Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Conference last week.
Minister Harriss told the local resource industry that Tasmania needed to ‘lay the groundwork’ if it is to capitalise on a forecasted commodity price recovery by 2017.
“The government is doing exactly that by embracing new technology and innovation, sending a message to investors that Tasmania is open for business in mining and working with industry to cut through the barriers and get new projects off the ground,” Minster Harriss said.
“We are already seeing a number of positive signs, including a new Bauxite mine at Bald Hill, a mining lease issued to Forward Mining for the proposed magnetite iron ore mine at Rogetta and Unity announcing $5 million in new exploration work.”
In April this year, the minister announced the opening of 61,500 ha of Exploration Release Areas in the Tarkine, a move that angered influential conservation groups which are campaigning to have the Tarkine listed as a World Heritage area.
“We are standing with industry against the latest campaign to lock up the Tarkine. The facts are clear – despite claims it’s all pristine wilderness, it contains our biggest mine, some of our best prospects, and has been a multiple use area since European settlement,” Minister Harriss said.
“It also contains some big reserves to protect values that need protection – the Savage River National Park, the Savage River Regional Reserve and the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area.
“We are sending a clear message that Tasmania is open for business and we will not let green groups hold Tasmanian jobs to ransom.”
Delivering an equally passionate address to the conference, independent Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambi slammed the Greens party’s ‘extreme environmental policies’ and declared support for opening parts of the state’s conservation area for development.
“I’d like to put it on record that I would 100% support both the state and federal government if they opened that land up to some sensible, measured, environmentally sensitive development,” Senator Lambie said.
“How many jobs and apprentices would be created if that happened?
“How many Tasmanian families would be able to work their way out of poverty if the mining and forestry sector were allowed to develop in a measured, commonsense manner the wealth creating opportunities that people like the Greens, Wilderness Society and the committee members of UNESCO want to wipe out?”
Senator Lambie also took the opportunity to voice her support for uranium mining.
“I also support the establishment of an Australian nuclear industry,” she said.
“The country with the next largest deposit of uranium is Canada with about 10 percent of the world’s resources. If we embrace nuclear power and technology, Australia can become the Saudi Arabia of the 21st Century while decarbonising our economy.
“In shaping policy climate and carbon policy there is a lot of fear and Green dishonesty and we have to remember this fact.”
AREEA’s principal employee relations consultant in Tasmania, Bill FitzGerald also delivered a keynote address, explaining the role of IR reform to foster investment in new mining projects and enhance the productivity of existing operations.
For more information, contact AREEA’s Hobart office at (03) 6270 2256.
