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BX3033 PROJECT EVALUATION
11:59 pm, 04 August 2024 (Singapore time)
The purpose of this project is threefold: to teach you about a particular and important case of resource use assessment, to give
you experience in writing a report of the consultancy type, and to give you some experience of working in a small group.
BACKGROUND
Mining in Kakadu
Kakadu National Park was established in three stages. Stage One was proclaimed in 1979, Stage Two was added in 1984 and Stage
Three in 1987. Supplementary proclamations were made in 1989 and 1991 (Kakadu Conservation Zone). The entire Park is jointly
administered by the Commonwealth Government and the traditional Aboriginal owners under the Commonwealth’s National
Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.
Mining had taken place in Kakadu since Europeans first entered the area. The early mines were small and had little impact on the
environment. In the early 1970s, however, major uranium deposits were discovered at Ranger, Jabiluka and Koongarra. After an
enquiry into the issue of Aboriginal land rights, the Commonwealth passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act
1976, which gave Aborigines the right to negotiate benefits from mining. When the Ranger Uranium Mine (RUM) was established
in 1978, the negotiations between RUM and the traditional owners resulted in the latter gaining royalties, which are managed by
the organisation of traditional owners called the Gagudju Association.
The “three uranium mines policy” of the Labour Government prevented to development of Jabiluka and Koongarra.
Governments and politics have changed since the 1980s and on 4 August 2005, Commonwealth Government declared that it was
taking control of all uranium deposites in the NT to “give certainty to the industry and ensure the expansion of exports to meet
growing demands for nuclear energy worldwide” (The Australian, 5 August 2005) . The recent discussions between the
Commonwealth Government and the Indian Government over the possibility of Australia exporting uranium to India has again
caused a discussion in government over the possibility of allowing mining in national parks. Many politicians in the government
now consider that the “locking up” of minerals in national parks to be a major restriction on Australia’s ability to take
advantage of the minerals boom.
The Consultant’s Task
The consultant is required to present the Department with a report, a version of which will become a Cabinet Submission, which
will assist the Government and the Department in its deliberations on the issue of allowing mining in the Kakadu region
(composed of the Kakadu National Park and the mining leases which are in or adjoin it). The Cabinet will consider the proposal to
approve a new proposal for the Coronation Hill project, as well as the Jabiluka proposal. Your report will review and update the
Resource Assessment Commission’s (RAC) Inquiry into the Kakadu Conservation Zone and will comment on data relating to
experience of the RUM and the Jabiluka proposal.
(Near Fiction)
The land on which the potential mine sites are located is owned by the Aboriginal tradional owners under the Aboriginal Land
Rights (Northern Territory) Act, 1976. Under the act, they have considerable say in whether mining may proceed, and the
Aborigines often object because either sacred sites are threatened or because of perceived undesireable social consequences. In
the case of such objection, the government may invoke the Act’s “national interest” clause of the Act (as it threatened to do
during the Ranger negiotations) which allows it to override the wishes of the traditional owners. Depending on the review of the
issue of mining in Kakadu, the government may either invoke that clause or achieve the commencement of mining in other ways.
In particular, as part of this assessment process, the government wishes to consider whether it should amend the mining
provisions of the NT land rights act to conform. with the mining provisions of the amended Native Title Act, 1993.
Coronation Hill
BX3033 PROJECT EVALUATION
11:59 pm, 04 August 2024 (Singapore time)
The purpose of this project is threefold: to teach you about a particular and important case of resource use assessment, to give
you experience in writing a report of the consultancy type, and to give you some experience of working in a small group.
BACKGROUND
Mining in Kakadu
Kakadu National Park was established in three stages. Stage One was proclaimed in 1979, Stage Two was added in 1984 and Stage
Three in 1987. Supplementary proclamations were made in 1989 and 1991 (Kakadu Conservation Zone). The entire Park is jointly
administered by the Commonwealth Government and the traditional Aboriginal owners under the Commonwealth’s National
Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.
Mining had taken place in Kakadu since Europeans first entered the area. The early mines were small and had little impact on the
environment. In the early 1970s, however, major uranium deposits were discovered at Ranger, Jabiluka and Koongarra. After an
enquiry into the issue of Aboriginal land rights, the Commonwealth passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act
1976, which gave Aborigines the right to negotiate benefits from mining. When the Ranger Uranium Mine (RUM) was established
in 1978, the negotiations between RUM and the traditional owners resulted in the latter gaining royalties, which are managed by
the organisation of traditional owners called the Gagudju Association.
The “three uranium mines policy” of the Labour Government prevented to development of Jabiluka and Koongarra.
Governments and politics have changed since the 1980s and on 4 August 2005, Commonwealth Government declared that it was
taking control of all uranium deposites in the NT to “give certainty to the industry and ensure the expansion of exports to meet
growing demands for nuclear energy worldwide” (The Australian, 5 August 2005) . The recent discussions between the
Commonwealth Government and the Indian Government over the possibility of Australia exporting uranium to India has again
caused a discussion in government over the possibility of allowing mining in national parks. Many politicians in the government
now consider that the “locking up” of minerals in national parks to be a major restriction on Australia’s ability to take
advantage of the minerals boom.
The Consultant’s Task
The consultant is required to present the Department with a report, a version of which will become a Cabinet Submission, which
will assist the Government and the Department in its deliberations on the issue of allowing mining in the Kakadu region
(composed of the Kakadu National Park and the mining leases which are in or adjoin it). The Cabinet will consider the proposal to
approve a new proposal for the Coronation Hill project, as well as the Jabiluka proposal. Your report will review and update the
Resource Assessment Commission’s (RAC) Inquiry into the Kakadu Conservation Zone and will comment on data relating to
experience of the RUM and the Jabiluka proposal.
(Near Fiction)
The land on which the potential mine sites are located is owned by the Aboriginal tradional owners under the Aboriginal Land
Rights (Northern Territory) Act, 1976. Under the act, they have considerable say in whether mining may proceed, and the
Aborigines often object because either sacred sites are threatened or because of perceived undesireable social consequences. In
the case of such objection, the government may invoke the Act’s “national interest” clause of the Act (as it threatened to do
during the Ranger negiotations) which allows it to override the wishes of the traditional owners. Depending on the review of the
issue of mining in Kakadu, the government may either invoke that clause or achieve the commencement of mining in other ways.
In particular, as part of this assessment process, the government wishes to consider whether it should amend the mining
provisions of the NT land rights act to conform. with the mining provisions of the amended Native Title Act, 1993.
Coronation Hill
BX3033 PROJECT EVALUATION
11:59 pm, 04 August 2024 (Singapore time)
The purpose of this project is threefold: to teach you about a particular and important case of resource use assessment, to give
you experience in writing a report of the consultancy type, and to give you some experience of working in a small group.
BACKGROUND
Mining in Kakadu
Kakadu National Park was established in three stages. Stage One was proclaimed in 1979, Stage Two was added in 1984 and Stage
Three in 1987. Supplementary proclamations were made in 1989 and 1991 (Kakadu Conservation Zone). The entire Park is jointly
administered by the Commonwealth Government and the traditional Aboriginal owners under the Commonwealth’s National
Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.
Mining had taken place in Kakadu since Europeans first entered the area. The early mines were small and had little impact on the
environment. In the early 1970s, however, major uranium deposits were discovered at Ranger, Jabiluka and Koongarra. After an
enquiry into the issue of Aboriginal land rights, the Commonwealth passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act
1976, which gave Aborigines the right to negotiate benefits from mining. When the Ranger Uranium Mine (RUM) was established
in 1978, the negotiations between RUM and the traditional owners resulted in the latter gaining royalties, which are managed by
the organisation of traditional owners called the Gagudju Association.
The “three uranium mines policy” of the Labour Government prevented to development of Jabiluka and Koongarra.
Governments and politics have changed since the 1980s and on 4 August 2005, Commonwealth Government declared that it was
taking control of all uranium deposites in the NT to “give certainty to the industry and ensure the expansion of exports to meet
growing demands for nuclear energy worldwide” (The Australian, 5 August 2005) . The recent discussions between the
Commonwealth Government and the Indian Government over the possibility of Australia exporting uranium to India has again
caused a discussion in government over the possibility of allowing mining in national parks. Many politicians in the government
now consider that the “locking up” of minerals in national parks to be a major restriction on Australia’s ability to take
advantage of the minerals boom.
The Consultant’s Task
The consultant is required to present the Department with a report, a version of which will become a Cabinet Submission, which
will assist the Government and the Department in its deliberations on the issue of allowing mining in the Kakadu region
(composed of the Kakadu National Park and the mining leases which are in or adjoin it). The Cabinet will consider the proposal to
approve a new proposal for the Coronation Hill project, as well as the Jabiluka proposal. Your report will review and update the
Resource Assessment Commission’s (RAC) Inquiry into the Kakadu Conservation Zone and will comment on data relating to
experience of the RUM and the Jabiluka proposal.
(Near Fiction)
The land on which the potential mine sites are located is owned by the Aboriginal tradional owners under the Aboriginal Land
Rights (Northern Territory) Act, 1976. Under the act, they have considerable say in whether mining may proceed, and the
Aborigines often object because either sacred sites are threatened or because of perceived undesireable social consequences. In
the case of such objection, the government may invoke the Act’s “national interest” clause of the Act (as it threatened to do
during the Ranger negiotations) which allows it to override the wishes of the traditional owners. Depending on the review of the
issue of mining in Kakadu, the government may either invoke that clause or achieve the commencement of mining in other ways.
In particular, as part of this assessment process, the government wishes to consider whether it should amend the mining
provisions of the NT land rights act to conform. with the mining provisions of the amended Native Title Act, 1993.
