The Northern Territory Minerals Council Summit on Thursday will be met with a large contingent of protesters calling for the immediate closure and clean up of the Territory’s riskiest mining and gas projects.
The Environment Centre NT and Lock the Gate alliance will join delegations of Aboriginal Traditional Owners from Northern Territory communities to voice their concerns about public health risks, major safety incidents and environmental contamination at some of the Territory’s biggest mines.
The protesters will take to task Glencore Xstrata, operator of the McArthur River lead zinc mine, whom they accuse of contaminating the McArthur River and local fish stocks with heavy metals.
They also will target Kakadu uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia for a major acid slurry spill last year for which it escaped prosecution.
Unconventional oil and gas companies seeking support for offshore drilling in Arnhem Land will also
Companies will be seeking a piece of the multimillion dollar industry support package on offer through the NT Government’s Developing the North agenda including vying for direct financial subsidies, tax relief and mining infrastructure projects.
Delegations from Arnhem Land and the Gulf and Barkly regions will travel to Darwin to confront the miners responsible for environmental contamination and public health risks in their communities, and challenge the NT government to compel companies to clean up their act. Traditional Owners are demanding that the Developing the North agenda be reconceived to remove mining welfare incentives and instead fund critical infrastructure projects including housing, roads, schools and health services in mining impacted communities.
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