The Australian Coalition victory on Jabiluka By MEGAN SAUNDERS 13jul99 THE Howard Government last night persuaded the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to decide against an immediate endangered finding for Kakadu National Park over the Jabiluka uranium mine. In a significant diplomatic victory, Government sources said a majority of the committee's 21 members – Cuba was one exception – sided with the Government at an extraordinary meeting in Paris . By late last night, Italy, Thailand and Japan – which chairs the committee – had spoken out against the "In Danger" listing. A spokesman for Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown said: "We are horrified at the direction things are heading". But a final vote on the Northern Territory site, which could have the internationally contentious issue referred to the next committee meeting within six months for further scrutiny, was expected overnight. A spokesman for Environment Minister Robert Hill said the success had vindicated the Government's support for the new mine. The Government and mine owner ERA Ltd had planned to provide assurances that the Northern Territory site would be strictly policed. In a last-minute boost to the Government's chances before the vote, it was almost certain to win the crucial backing of the US. The vote had been expected to be knife-edge. The Government needed the votes of just over a third of the 21-member committee, since a two-thirds majority was needed to declare the world-famous park in danger from the adjoining mine. For almost a week, it has been trying to avoid having Kakadu listed as "In Danger".. Central to the Government's argument has been legal advice that the committee could not list an area without the consent of the Government. Senator Hill and ERA, a North Ltd subsidiary, have offered to delay full-scale production at Jabiluka until 2006 as the nearby Ranger mine winds down, so production does not rise above the Ranger rate. "This concept of successive mines . . . not only demonstrates good faith but (has also) been received positively by at least some members of the World Heritage Committee," Senator Hill told ABC Radio from Paris. "What they don't explain to me is why the huge open-cut mine of Ranger for the last 18 years has not been a threat and they accepted it was not a threat," he said. "How can a small, underground mine of 20 years on in terms of technology suddenly put 20,000 square kilometres of park in danger? "It is this inconsistency of the experts' advice that we have found disappointing." However, any finding in support of the Jabiluka project was expected to meet widespread condemnation from environmental, indigenous and opposition political groups. A spokesman for Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown said it increasingly appeared as though environmentalists and traditional indigenous owners faced an uphill battle. Labor and the Democrats have also slammed the Government's lobbying. "The whole integrity of the world heritage convention is now at stake," the spokesman for Senator Brown said. "The Australian Government has bullied, bought and hoodwinked the committee, putting politics above sound policy." Prominent indigenous leader Patrick Dodson said earlier yesterday Jabiluka would destroy the spirit of the traditional owners, the Mirrar people. Leading environmental consultant and historian, Professor John Mulvaney, accused the Government of attempting to "wreck" UNESCO through its unprecedented lobbying efforts. Professor Mulvaney – a foundation member of the Australian Heritage Commission – accused the Government of embarking on an intense and shameless exercise in vote buying and political arm twisting. ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
