A GREEN group has challenged another mine in the North-West, just two weeks after being granted an extended injunction against the proposed Shree Minerals mine near Smithton.
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Save the Tarkine campaign co- ordinator Scott Jordan said the group lodged the appeal against Venture Minerals' proposed iron ore mine at Riley Creek, near Tullah, with the Resource Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal yesterday.
Mr Jordan alleged the Environmental Protection Authority had not met its own guidelines and only assessed one of three mine-specific documents reviewing wildlife impacts. "The government trying to find shortcuts is not acceptable, it's a recipe for disaster," Mr Jordan said.
The mine received state government approval last month and is expected to create 60 jobs.
Resources Minister Bryan Green told a budget estimates committee in Hobart yesterday that there was no reason the mine should not also get Commonwealth approval.
Mr Green said he could not stop environmental groups from challenging the mines, but said he was confident all proposals met the highest environmental standards.
He said proposed mines at Livingston, Mount Lindsay and Big Wilson were likely to be approved.
Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources secretary Norm McIlfatrick said reopening mines on old sites like Riley Creek could repair past damage.
"The best we could possibly hope for, for all these sites, is for them to keep operating, because as they are operated the new operator will repatriate the site," Mr McIlfatrick said.
West Coast Council Mayor Darryl Gerrity said the opposition was not unexpected but called upon government and legislators to "balance the books".
Cr Gerrity said Shree Minerals was ordered to pay Save the Tarkine's legal costs after a failed bid to challenge the injunction. The injunction will remain in place until after a Federal Court hearing in July.
"We have no problem with protest and appeals, but what we do have a problem with is people not taking financial responsibility," Mr Gerrity said.
Mr Jordan said he understood the council's concerns.
He said the appeal was "realistically the fault of the EPA and they should take responsibility".
Opposition spokesman for mining Adam Brooks said third-party appealing would be "thrown out" under a Liberal government.
