Environment minister makes minerals game all risk, no reward: David Littleproud

Why would any company be prepared to spend thousands or millions of dollars to undertake the approval process, only to have the carpet swept from under them for no logical reason?

It was a golden opportunity for a Central West town called Blayney. A $1 billion gold mine, all but approved, bringing not just wealth and prosperity to the local town, but an important investment signal to the resources sector that Australia is a safe bet and the government has your back.

That is, of course, unless you’re dealing with the Albanese Labor government. We now know Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek canned the McPhillamys gold mine seemingly without warning, taking the town of Blayney and its local businesses and families by surprise, after mining company Regis Resources spent years jumping through hoop after hoop to respect the approvals process and the law.

The Minister first put her decision down to an Indigenous heritage act. The Minister is now trying to backtrack on that reason, saying it’s actually an environmental issue.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and special envoy for defence, veterans’ affairs and Northern Australia Luke Gosling at the announcement of a major solar project, where Ms Plibersek defended her decision to block part of a new gold mine. Picture: Lachlan Leeming

But the problem with the Minister’s decision is that it’s based on ideology and defies common sense, because the company was given an approval process to follow by the same Labor government and had already ticked all the boxes.

This was an approved mine that had been through all the state, federal and environmental processes.

The Indigenous Australians who actually live in the area were not against the mine either.

Even the Minister’s own department approved it. Yet the group who opposed the mine, the Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation (WTOCWAC) had previously been given a hearing and were afforded due process. They had already been given an independent assessment about the validity of their claims. The group’s concerns were actually listened to as part of the approvals process. Their concerns had been dealt with. Or so it seemed.

Mine worker Billy Cramp in the town of Blayney. Picture: Graham Schumann

This is why the Minister, after using a Section 10 heritage act, to cancel the tailings dam, which, in turn, cancels the mine, must now release a Statement of Reasons. We need to get to the bottom of the Minister’s decision, because there is something just not right about the fact the Minister is hiding behind secrecy and running out of excuses.

We need the mine to get the green light, not just for local investment in the Central West, but also so resources companies can have confidence in the system.

Why would any company be prepared to spend thousands or millions of dollars to undertake the approval process, only to have the carpet swept from under them for no logical reason?

The McPhillamys gold mine would have delivered up to 800 good-paying jobs for Blayney.

But it’s so much more than that. Every single resources company is watching Blayney and wondering if and when they will be next.

The Blayney decision is bad because of the investment caution it creates. There may be gold in them hills but, under this Labor government, the future of resources is being kicked into the dirt.

David Littleproud is leader of the Nationals