marp approval

I had an interesting conversation over the weekend with someone who is well connected in Sth Australian government/ALP circles.

We were having a chat about HGO and how final approvals were due next month. (I might add that this person has no specific knowledge or involvement in this department).

They said, essential, that such approvals are a fait d'accomplis. Unless there is some big issue in the media about a highly endangered parrot, or a contentious aboriginal heritage issue, it is only a question of waiting for the process to work its way through the system.

You read all the stuff HGO has to go through - endless consultation with community, and having to respond to every tiny issue about this clump of trees, and that bunch of orchids (I am not exaggerating, this is all in the MARP submission), and you realise that the whole thing is a bit of a circus.

The process is long, and costly. And there are no contentious issues. Just a lot of private companies making a lot of money doing various fauna/flora, heritage and other surveys. And lots of boxes that need to be ticked for the bureaucracy.

And the end result is the mine will go ahead. And it was always going to.

So the fact that you have not seen coverage on national or local media about endangered wildlife, 'secret women's business' at Kanmantoo, or any other show-stopping public issue, means the approval is a done deal.

So, you can wait until the MARP approval announcement, some time next month. or, act now in anticipation, and bank the difference.

Either way, it was always going to be approved.

Y