Antinuclear

Protest against Marathon uranium explorer, but will South Aust govt listen?

Marathon fight over what lies beneath the Flinders Ranges
THE AUSTRALIAN Pia Akerman and Michael Owen | September 07, 2009

“………………..The anti-Marathon lobby is made up of an array of strange bedfellows including greenies, scientists, tourists and politicians – most notably federal Liberal heavyweight Nick Minchin, who, as resources minister, approved the nearby Beverley uranium mine. They are stepping up a campaign urging the Rann government not to let Marathon continue its work.

The company’s mineral exploration licence is up for renewal next month and, with it, the controversy that first erupted when Marathon was caught illegally dumping uranium drilling waste in December 2007. Marathon’s drilling program was indefinitely suspended by the state government last year, an action that will not be reviewed until at least the end of this year.

Pressure is mounting on the South Australian government not to let the company, once described by Premier Mike Rann as “cowboys”, resume its activities.

Marg Sprigg and her brother Doug – owners of the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and the hotel that sits within it, but not what lies under the ground – have led the charge. As flocks of grey nomads visit every year, they have a vested interest in keeping the area protected……..

……….Marathon, which is being advised by its board director and former Labor senator lobbyist Chris Schacht, as well as an environmental-specialist lobbyist firm, has paid more than $1.8million during the past three years for workers to stay at the Arkaroola hotel, which Mr Williams said was at the request of the Sprigg family………………………….

Senator Minchin, a conservative factional powerbroker, provided commonwealth authorisation for the Beverly uranium mine in South Australia to proceed when a Howard government resources minister. He is the first to admit his alliance with the Greens against Marathon is an unlikely one.

But he has been a regular visitor to Arkaroola for the past 20 years and is focused on achieving a ban on further exploration and mining in the wilderness sanctuary, despite the potential economic benefits.

“There is nothing more damaging to South Australia than to put a uranium mine in Arkaroola, and I have been a long-term supporter of uranium mining in principle,” Senator Minchin said. “But I do not support mining at any cost.”………………..

Mr Williams [Peter Williams, chairman of Marathon Resources] said he believed Marathon had the Rann government’s “full support”.

Marathon fight over what lies beneath the Flinders Ranges | The Australian

September 7, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, South Australia, uranium | antinuclear, Australia, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radioactive, South Australia, uranium