Anti- mine push facing criticism

GREEN activists have been accused of hijacking the debate around the Adani mega mine and wanting the traditional owners to lose all opportunity.

The traditional owners backing the Adani mine say the choice is to either support it or continue generational disadvantage.

Traditional owner and signatory to the Adani agreement, Patrick Malone, said there was only a small group led by Adrian Burragubba who opposed the project, compared with the 294- to- one vote in favour of accepting the Adani deal.

“Green activists are happy to maintain the status quo for the Wangan and J Jagalingou li people of low socio- economic outcomes while they enjoy jobs, education, housing etc and I guess electricity generated by coal- fired power stations,” Mr Malone ( above) said. “They want to stop the mine all costs and unfortunately that t cost will be borne greatest by b the W & J people.”

The latest move by the group known as the W & J Family Council, led by Mr Burragubba, has been to file an inj junction trying to prevent the State Government from extinguishing native title, which it has said it would not do.

“We did not go out and invite the mining industry on to our lands, but our lands are mineral rich and the miners have arrived,” Mr Malone said.

“There are no federal or state programs targeting W & J people … which will deliver anything near what Adani and the other seven existing and proposed mines on our country have the potential to deliver.

“Without the employment and economic opportunities that will flow from these mines, our people are destined to be passive recipients of ongoing generational disadvantage.”

Mr Burragubba’s group believes the Adani deal – an indigenous Land Use Agreement – is substandard and could destroy cultural heritage and the environment.

“Of course we would always like more,” Mr Malone said.

“W & J lands … have been under attack since the arrival of white settlers. The ILUAs with the mining companies are the first time we have been given an opportunity to be partners in the ongoing management of our country.”