The Greens welcome the news that MMG have lodged an EPBC referral for an alternative tailing site to their original proposed location that would have destroyed a precious stretch of Takayna forest.
This is a great step in the right direction out of Takayna, which is down to extraordinary efforts of thousands of community members taking a strong stand, and the phenomenal work of the Bob Brown Foundation, holding the line at McKimmie Creek.
But Takayna isn’t safe until MMG completely withdraws their initial toxic tailings dam proposal.
The new proposal at Exe Creek, while not in Takayna, is still a long way from the best mining practises that we should be seeing in modern day Tasmania.
This is a reminder of why there is a dire need for a whole review of Tasmania’s aged Mineral Resources Act, so that companies are required to treat waste on site, with global best sustainable practises. Which in the case of MMG proposal could be paste-fill.
The Greens again call on the Liberal Government to get serious about mining practises in Tasmania, which starts with a transparent and open review of the Act.
If MMG can heed the calls of people from across the nation to leave Takayna’s forests in tact for future generations, surely even the Tasmanian Liberal Government can start listening the resounding chorus of community advocating for the protection of this precious ancient landscape.
