09 SEPTEMBER 2011THE AUSTRALIAN
Cape York Mines listing timetable
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
1 min read
EXISTING mines will be excised from the proposed Cape York world heritage zone under the Gillard government's revamped strategy to nominate much of the peninsula for listing by 2013.
Environment Minister Tony Burke yesterday unveiled the plan to enter on the world heritage register a patchwork of sites, but not the entire landmass at Queensland's northern tip. Existing mines on the peninsula including Rio Tinto Alcan's vast bauxite open-cut at Weipa would continue to operate.
But the future of proposed new mines is unclear as influential community leader and activist Noel Pearson slammed as "ridiculous" the possibility the nomination would go through within two years.
Reviving the stalled listing process with an injection of $23 million for consultation and land acquisition yesterday, Mr Burke said the nomination would not happen without informed Aboriginal consent. "All of it hinges on traditional owner consent, and I am not presuming . . . that that consent will come," he said.
Environment Minister Tony Burke yesterday unveiled the plan to enter on the world heritage register a patchwork of sites, but not the entire landmass at Queensland's northern tip. Existing mines on the peninsula including Rio Tinto Alcan's vast bauxite open-cut at Weipa would continue to operate.
But the future of proposed new mines is unclear as influential community leader and activist Noel Pearson slammed as "ridiculous" the possibility the nomination would go through within two years.
Reviving the stalled listing process with an injection of $23 million for consultation and land acquisition yesterday, Mr Burke said the nomination would not happen without informed Aboriginal consent. "All of it hinges on traditional owner consent, and I am not presuming . . . that that consent will come," he said.
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