OLYMPIC DAM OPERATION

Unlike the Northern Territory mines, the Olympic Dam Operation has no recognised owner or occupant in a native title sense, nor a body comparable to the Northern Land Council.

There are, however, Aboriginal interests both as to the mine site (Kokatha, Banngarla and Kuyani peoples) and the Mound Springs (Arabunna and Dieri peoples).

Members of the Kokatha peoples wrote to the Committee generally opposing mining and the storage of radioactive waste at Woomera: "The use of our traditional land as a mine and now uranium dump offends our strongly held religious beliefs" (S 45, 1, para 2). There is also complaint about destruction of and damage to important sites (para 4).

Other complaints concern lack of consultation: "There are no adequate consultative processes in place which will ensure the protection of sites that have survived to the present" (S 45, 1, para 5).

Impact on Aboriginal communities was a topic addressed by the Conservation Council of South Australia/Friends of the Earth Nouveau (S 92, 30-3). Their criticisms included lack of consultations, protection of sites and other matters relating to communications between WMC-Copper Uranium Division and Aborigines. Many of the claims contained in the CCSA/FoEN submission have been directly contested by WMC.

The Committee has had only limited opportunity to assess the accuracy of matters raised by the CCSA/FoEN but it notes that only a limited amount of supporting evidence has been tendered.