Hello All
Unfortunately I've been far too busy to read let alone digest the pros
and cons of the arguments put forward about land management, but I can
agree with Hugo's statement that 'mining, in general, is much less of a
threat to large reserves, and potential reserves, than continued grazing
(and overgrazing), unsympathetic fire management, sequestration of river
flows and flood peaks for irrigation, and problems with introduced
predators and herbivores. The highly visible impact of mining on
relatively small areas of land
overshadows the very extensive but less visually obvious (to the
uninformed) impact of pastoralism and agriculture in arid and semiarid
regions."
Having carried out biological surveys on a number of old and proposed
mine sites in the Top End I've been more horrified by the degradation
caused by stock than by most of the problems caused by mining. Of course
there was a few that make my blood run cold, like the Rum Jungle debacle
that caused sulphurous compounds to kill off the flora and fauna for a
couple of kilometres along the Finniss River.
But compared with what I've seen on places like Tipperary Station which
was cleared of vegetation from horizon to horizon, even the damage to the
Finniss was minimal. And Warren Anderson had the cheek to erect a 5
metre high sign stating that any employee found damaging flora and fauna
would be chucked off the property! Parts of the Mary River are in a
similar state.
What, I can hear many asking, about Ranger, the uranium mine in Kakadu!
Well I'm no expert on uranium mines, but close friends such as Prof. Mike
Tyler and a few others just as notable have found no real damage that I'm
aware of. Background radiation has been present in the area for millions
of years. And the threat to the wetlands in Arnhemland that several
yelled about bears no comparison to the damage caused by buffalo.
I opposed the second mine in Kakadu in part because of my fears for
Aboriginal people in the are. We all worry about the effects that Jabiru
has had.
To demonstrate those problems a personal story - one of my sons, a world
renowned artist, was asked to bring some bark paintings to Darwin a few
weeks ago. Normally he wouldn't be asked because he has no self control
where alcohol is concerned but his big brother asked him to come because
it looks like we have an inroad into a big market.
Because the road was cut my son became marooned in Jabiru. Within hours
he was paralytic drunk and we feared for his safety. Likewise my
relatives and I oppose moves to mine on Baby Dreaming land. But what's
this gentle son of mine going to do if a sealed road is put in and he has
money enough to buy a vehicle and take himself to town. He'll go the
same way as two of his brothers and several cousins, uncles and other
male relatives (and some female too).
My nephew, a didgeridoo player so good that he was taken to England by
Rolf Harris to play before the Queen, drank himself to death. One night
at Cooinda, the famed resort at Yellow Waters, I faced up to a drunken
man beating his semi-conscious wife over the head with a brick. "I can
kill her if I like. She's my wife," he told me.
Back on feral animals, as some Central Australian Aboriginal people now
rely on rabbits, so do Arnhemland people get income from buffalo. That
probably cannot be changed now.
Many seeing balanda (white people) keeping cats want them too, a major
reason why I won't have one near my house. I'd hate to be seen to
condone the keeping of such animals.
But my relatives occasionally keep agile wallabies, black wallaroo, pied
heron as pets and I encourage that. The children at an outstation want
something to fuss over, I'd rather they had a joey than a cat.
Relatives are scared of what cane toads may do to reptile and bird
populations. We hunt some goannas for food; others are restricted to old
or initiated people; some are sacred no matter what. What will happen to
the cultural structure if such animals disappear.
Out in Kudjekbinj last year Esther wanted to 'clean up' the country
around the Crippled Baby Dreaming springs, but none of us had any matches
and because of her conjunctivitis she couldn't go back to do it. I
promise I will set fire to the area when I go this year.
Denise
Denise Goodfellow (Lawungkurr Maralngurra)
Specialist Guide
Ph/fax 08 89818492
PO Box 39373
WINNELLIE NT 0821, AUSTRALIA
www.earthfoot.org
Parap Bookshop
2ndhand and new books
08 89813922
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