‘Aboriginal shopping’: Warren Mundine blasts Albanese over tanked gold mine

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has blasted the Albanese government’s decision to intervene in a proposed gold mine for regional NSW saying Indigenous heritage approvals should be based on the opinion of the local land council only. 

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has blasted the Albanese government’s decision to intervene in a proposed gold mine for regional NSW saying Indigenous heritage approvals should be based on the opinion of the local land council only. 

Mr Mundine said land councils were legally authorised to comment on the issue of Indigenous heritage and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek must explain why she allowed other Indigenous groups to veto them. 

The project — proposed for Blayney in the Central West — has hit a speed bump after Ms Plibersek intervened on Indigenous heritage ground after speaking with a smaller group of Indigenous leaders.

Among the leaders was Nyree Reynolds who made a submission opposing the mine saying it would inhibit the cultural expression of the Wiradjuri people.

Warren Mundine. Picture: John Gass

“Every box was ticked, environmental, cultural heritage, everything was ticked. They spoke to the elected representative body of the Indigenous people of that area,” Mr Mundine said. 

“I have fought all my life for the right of traditional owners to say Yes Or No to what happens on their land. 

“I supported uranium mining but the Mirarr people (in Jabiluka) said no and I respect their right to do that. I am consistent on this.

“But this is typical of the left to go Aboriginal shopping and they pick people who support their views.”

Aunty Nyree — whose views were used by the Minister to oppose the project and shared on her social media — is recognised as a Wiradjuri elder by both the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council and Wiradyuri traditional owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation.

But OLAC did not oppose the project and actively warned against people opposing the mine or seeking “to hijack Aboriginal Cultural Heritage”.

The land council said they were neutral on the project.

This is the specific area that has been opposed to put a tailings dam due to it being of cultural significance. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Mr Mundine also accused Labor of being disingenuous when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised Indigenous economic development as a priority at the Garma festival earlier this month.

“I thought the government said they wanted to listen to the voice of Indigenous people,” he said. 

“Aboriginal Land Councils are the elected representatives there. They are the elected officials by the Land Council Act that Labor put in.”

On Friday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected suggestions his government gave renewable projects a free ride while installing mining initiatives. 

“(The Mine) remains approved … It’s a matter of where the tailing dam is located, and when the proponents of the project put it forward, Tanya Plibersek advises me they had a range of options for where the dam would go,” Mr Albanese said.

“So a commonsense approach, if you’re sensible, you can get good environmental outcomes, as well as getting industry going ahead.

“My government, in terms of the resources sector, has worked very closely with them.”

The Mine’s developer Regis rejected suggestions the project could still go ahead.

“It was made clear to the Minister that the project would not be viable if the Section 10 declaration was made and that, while a number of alternatives were considered early in the design process, the project does not have any currently viable alternative infrastructure locations.”

Originally published as ‘Aboriginal shopping’: Warren Mundine blasts Albanese over tanked gold mine