Tasmanian Resources Minister Guy Barnett faces calls to resign over lease

Tasmania’s Resources Minister has admitted exceeding his powers in granting a mining lease over a road to a Chinese government-owned company.

Tasmanian Resources Minister Guy Barnett. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Tasmania’s Resources Minister has admitted exceeding his powers in granting a mining lease over a road to a Chinese government-owned company, in an alleged botched attempt to stymie ­protests.

Guy Barnett faces an Integrity Commission complaint and calls for his resignation after admitting in writing to exceeding his power in granting the mining lease over about 5km of road to Chinese-owned MMG.

It is understood the lease purported to be for the purpose of mining gravel but was in fact to provide MMG access to the site of its new tailings dam near Rosebery, while also giving the company lessee rights to evict protesters.

When the Bob Brown Foundation, which has led major protest action at the site, sought a statement of reasons for his decision to grant the lease, Mr Barnett conceded it had not been lawful.

“Following due consideration, I was not empowered to make the decision,” Mr Barnett wrote to the foundation on September 24.

“In consequence, there has been no valid grant of that lease (and) MMG has been informed.”

BBF Tarkine/takayna campaigner Scott Jordan said Mr Barnett had acted unlawfully to stymie protests.

He said the foundation would be preparing a complaint to the ­Integrity Commission.

“This was a lease 100m either side of the road access, purely and simply to get us out of the way,” Mr Jordan said.

The Minerals Resources Development Act states the minister may grant a mining lease only if the applicant “intends to carry out mining operations” and has proved “sufficient quantity of minerals to justify mining”.

“There was no intent to mine that area, it was purely and simply to get a lease to have us charged with trespass if we entered,” Mr Jordan said.

“Everybody should have been aware that this was not OK and yet they proceeded with it anyway. We think there are some big questions there and some IC questions. We think the minister should resign.”

Mr Barnett played down the significance of the situation, saying he had been following a recommendation and that the problem was “a lodging error”.

“The application was assessed by Mineral Resources Tasmania, which recommended it be approved – a recommendation I ­subsequently accepted,” Mr Barnett said. “A lodging error in the application was then found. MMG were advised and submitted a new ­application.

“This has occurred, with the new lease application currently being assessed by MRT in accordance with the act.’’

It is understood the new lease application refers to an “easement” rather than gravel mining.

MMG also blamed a “minor technical error with our mining lease application” but said it was reviewing “every aspect” of its regulatory approvals in the wake of the situation.

“We have now resubmitted, and continue to work with relevant government departments through the approvals process,” a spokeswoman said.

“Our paused works … are allowing us to review every aspect of regulation and permitting for the assessment of a new tailings storage facility.”

MMG, which is 74 per cent owned by Beijing’s China Minmetals, urgently needs a new tailings dam to extend the life of the 85-year-old zinc, copper and lead mine at Rosebery.

Its preferred option – awaiting federal government environmental approval – involves piping the waste 3.5km to a 140ha new tailings dam, in the process clearing up to 285ha, including rainforest.