The plan to strip mine the seabed for manganese between Groote Eylandt and Arnhem Land appears to be hitting heavy weather, with federal member Warren Snowdon joining traditional owners in condemning the proposal.
Mr Snowdon has told Perth-based Groote Resources Ltd to abandon its exploration plans, saying traditional owners already had one big mine on their island and that was enough.
Traditional owners say mining would not only destroy the seabed but have unknowable impact on eight significant song lines relating to reincarnation beliefs that criss-cross the tenements.
Groote traditional owner Nancy Lalara said the emergence of Mr Snowdon was crucial. "Snowdon's support is significant," she said. "It's important for us."
Indiginous Health Minister Warren Snowdon has called on manganese hopeful Groote Resources to reconsider its radical plan to mine the seabed near Groote Eylandt for the key steel-making raw material.
In an unusual intervention for a federal minister, Mr Snowdon said there was "vehement" resistance to the plan among the Warnindilyakwa, the indigenous people of Groote Eylandt, in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
"I have been involved with the Groote Eylandt community for more than 30 years and I have never seen the people there so angry and worried about the consequences of mining activity, and how it will impact on their community, culture and environment," said Mr Snowdon, who is the federal member for Lingiari, the vast outback electorate that includes Groote Eylandt.
He said the marine environment of the area was "far too precious" for undersea open-cut mining operations.
Traditional owners are likely to get strong support from the Northern Prawn Fishery as Groote is a key area in both the breeding and harvesting of prawns.
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