Ann: National Heritage List Review Update , page-19

NT NEWS ARTICLE DATED 10.11.2011
MARINE MINE NO-GO ZONE.
Five year veto around islands - Exclusive by Nigel Adlam.
The Federal Government yesterdaty threatened to use emergency powers to declare a marine park off the Territory coast to stop a multi-billion - dollar undersea mining project. Environment Minister Tony Burke's office said the park would cover stretches of sea around Groote Eylandt.
The no-go zone would be declared under special powers contained in the Conservation Act.
Mr. Burke is tryint to halt exploration by Darwin -based Northern managanese.
The Territory Government has slapped a five year exploration veto on or aound Winchelsea and Connexion islands at the request of the traditional owners. But it has given northern Manganese permission to conduct a marine survey for minerals closer to Groote. Company chairman Doug Daws said that a mine would be worth billions of dollars. He said it would benefit Australia and Aboriginal people. Mr Daws said the federal threat would not stop the exploration work. "There's due process," he said. "Mining companies have to abide by due process and so do governments.
We're not going away. We're trying to do the right thing by the environment".
Chief Minister Paul Henderson yesterday seemed to rule out allowing seabed strip mining. He said a mine was unlikely to be alllowed despite his Environment Dept approving the marine mineral survey. Mr Henderson said the survey would not damage the environment. Observers will be onboard the boat to monitor the presence of marine mammals and turtles. "An exploration licence is not a licence to mine", the Chief Minister said.
He said he believed the technology to mine manganese under the sea was "untried and untested".
"There would be an enormously high bar before we would approve any seabed mining in the Territory", the Chief Minister said.
"I DOUBT if any company would reach it:.

Gee Yeah the NT government really seem to be fuming.......