Senator Jonno Duniam calls on swift nod by federal opponent to Tarkine mine tailings dam

“She will be ripping the heart out of western Tasmania.” Senator Jonno Duniam has called on the federal environment minister to make a swift decision on plans for a Tarkine mine tailings dam.

Protesters from the Bob Brown Foundation over the proposed MMG tailings dam near Rosebery. Picture: Grant Wells

Senator Jonno Duniam has thrown his weight behind calls for the federal environment minister to swiftly hand down her decision over controversial plans for a Tarkine mine tailings dam.

The Liberal environment spokesman says Tanya Plibersek has “delayed progress at every chance”, calling on his opponent to make a quick decision in favour of Chinese-owned Rosebery miner, MMG.

“Environment minister Tanya Plibersek and Labor must not abandon the hundreds of west coast miners and communities that rely on the MMG mine in making her decision,” he told the Mercury.

“West coast miners need this decision made as soon as possible, and if Ms Plibersek doesn’t approve this project, she will be ripping the heart out of western Tasmania.”

Senator Duniam also criticised environmental organisation, the Bob Brown Foundation, which has also been calling on a swift decision from the minister – albeit for the opposite reason.

The Senator said MMG was part of a “clean energy future” that produced critical minerals like zinc, used in electrical storage batteries.

“It’s organisations like the Bob Brown Foundation that ironically undermine Tasmania’s role in the clean energy future by seeking to shut down this and other mines in Tasmania,” he said.

Environmentalists have spent years protesting the proposed South Marionoak tailings dam, arguing the area planned for clearing is habitat to several threatened species including the Tasmanian masked owl and the swift parrot.

The project was approved by former federal Liberal environment minister Sussan Ley in January 2022, but the foundation successfully challenged that decision in the Federal Court.

The matter has now been returned to current minister, Ms Plibersek, to make her determination as to whether the plans need to be assessed under federal environmental legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The Greens want the Tarkine to be World Heritage listed. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Duniam criticised the time taken for the matter to get the go-ahead, saying the Coalition had given approval to MMG to undertake initial works at the site “within weeks, not years”.

“In contrast, one of Tanya Plibersek’s first acts as environment minister was to indefinitely delay whether the tailings dam would go ahead. That was June 2022, over 16 months ago,” he said.

“We’re now hearing that this decision might be made towards the end of 2023. This is unacceptable for west coast miners and their families.

“Minister Plibersek has delayed progress at every chance, in stark contrast to the certainty that the Coalition gave MMG workers when in government.”

Last week, the foundation said it expected the minister’s decision to be handed down in September, but the minister’s office said it was more likely to arrive in late 2023.

On Tuesday, the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the minister’s decision over assessment works would be made “as soon as possible”.

“The department is evaluating the design and assessment works for the Tarkine tailings dam to see whether it needs to be assessed under national environment law,” a spokesperson said.

The Tarkine tailings dam proposal was recently opened for public comment, which closed on August 30.

The department confirmed with the Mercury it received more than 2600 submissions.

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