Media Release
Date: 24 November 2011
The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority has taken legal action against a mining company following damage to a sacred site in the Barkly Region of the Northern Territory.
The Authority has charged OM (Manganese) Ltd with two offences under the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989: desecrate a sacred site; and contravene an Authority Certificate.
The charges arise from the company’s operations at the Bootu Creek Manganese Mine on Banka Banka Station, approximately 100km north-west of Tennant Creek.
The Authority’s Chief Executive, Dr Ben Scambary, said the collapse of a pit wall at the mine on 25 July 2011 had brought down a large part of an adjacent rocky outcrop.
“This outcrop contained a sacred site associated with the Kunapa East group,” Dr Scambary said.
“The mining company was aware of the site’s location and significance. The terms of the site clearance, issued by the Authority in 2004, were that the site not be entered or damaged.”
Maximum penalties for the offences are $274 000 and $137 000 respectively.
The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority was established under the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989 to protect sacred sites and the traditional interests in sacred sites of Indigenous custodians.
Contact: Dr Ben Scambary; (08) 8999 4332; [email protected]
For photographs or footage please contact Malene Bjornskov, (08) 8999 4362, [email protected]
THE ABORIGINAL AREAS PROTECTION AUTHORITY (AAPA) IS AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY ORGANISATION ESTABLISHED UNDER THE NORTHERN TERRITORY ABORIGINAL SACRED SITES ACT, AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE PROTECTION OF ABORIGINAL SACRED SITES ON LAND AND SEA ACROSS THE WHOLE OF AUSTRALIA’S NORTHERN TERRITORY.