A pop-up protest was held at the Community Hub in Dalmahoy Street Bairnsdale last Saturday morning in response to Gippsland Critical Minerals’ drop in community sessions.
More than 40 people attended the protest, expressing their mounting opposition to the minerals sands mine project.
Robyn Grant from Mine Free Glenaladale said there is continuing anger and resistance to this project due to distrust in the mining company for information presented in newsletters, media releases and on their website.
“The community is scathing of the simplistic, impractical and unscientific concepts touted in response to the Planning Minister’s
determination following the Environmental Effects Statement process in 2021,” she said.
“The Minister outlined the unacceptable impacts to the environment, community and the horticultural and agricultural industries which could not be mitigated.
“Community consultation is an important part of the rescoping requirements for the project to proceed, and yet GCM have ignored Mine Free Glenaladale’s wishes for meaningful engagement.
“Once again we see poor attendance to
a community engagement activity organised by the company at the drop-in session
on Saturday morning, due to the lack of credibility of the project.
“There has been little response to other community engagement activities organised by GCM. Their information webinars were poorly attended as the community is disadvantaged by unreliable internet service and the lack of technological expertise. These facts were expressed in submissions presented during the Environmental Effects Statement process and yet ignored by GCM.”
Ms Grant claimed the recent updated map provided by GCM only gives a vague outline of the project area.
“This together with their lack of detailed information is fuelling skepticism in the community. This makes qualified assessment of the proposal impossible,” they said.
“The proposed mine is still in the same inappropriate location with the same impacts – dust, noise, destruction of the environment, threats to human health and the compromising of the horticultural and agricultural industries, First Nations’ cultural heritage
and tourism.
“The changes proposed by GCM will not eliminate these threats.
“The community consultation activities organized by the company may tick the box for community engagement but have failed to engage the community.”
