Australia’s worldwide reputation for fine wool and beef cattle could be lost if a lead mine is built in New South Wales, an inquiry has been warned.
Key points:
- A hearing in Mudgee is investigating the impacts on human and environmental health posed by gold, lead, silver and zinc mining
- The Bowdens project near Mudgee is one of three mines being examined by the parliamentary inquiry
- A vet has given evidence that livestock and wild animals cannot be protected from lead dust
A state parliamentary committee has held a hearing in Mudgee as part of its investigation into the current and potential impacts on human and environmental health posed by gold, lead, silver and zinc mining.
Veterinarian David Parry-Okeden is among 12 witnesses who has given evidence about the Bowdens Silver project, which will unearth lead, silver and zinc near the hamlet of Lue.
He has warned that livestock, as well as domestic and wild animals, could be poisoned by dust carrying lead.
“Lead is the most frightening and most emotional poison that we know about in the world,” Dr Parry-Okeden told the hearing.
“Indonesia just banned our cattle because it was perceived that they had lumpy-skin disease – it was nothing of the kind, but they didn’t hesitate.
“There is nothing that will bring more disparagement and embarrassment on our country than to have lead in our exports in any form at all,” he said.
“If we had lead in our cattle or in the meat, that export industry would go. Our fine wool, which goes to the fussiest buyers in the world in Italy … they wouldn’t even consider it.”
Dr Parry-Okeden told the inquiry that animals primarily ingest lead by drinking contaminated water.
He also gave examples of horses licking lead-based paint because it is sweet, or birds pecking at lead paint and becoming paralysed and dying.
He said prevailing winds would mean that lead dust could be carried several hundred kilometres east to the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley.
“I don’t believe that there’s the political will in this state or this country at the moment to fight the mining industry because we’re all so addicted to it,” he said.
“We’ve got a coal mine [near Lue] that has been the basis of our economy for some years, but it doesn’t poison the district.
“I really believe the only answer to this is to embarrass our country through the court of the Hague.”
Export risk
A representative from the Australian Olive Association also gave evidence about the mine’s potential impact on exports and imports.
Michael Southan said the industry faced fierce competition from overseas.
“We produce about 20 million litres of extra-virgin olive oil per year in Australia, but our importers bring in about double that,” Dr Southan said.
“They’re looking for any excuse they can find as to why they can promote their product as being better than Australia – this potentially provides that excuse.”
Stronger oversight
The Australian Workers’ Union used its evidence to highlight the importance of the industry in NSW because of the 8,000 jobs it supports and its production of materials needed for renewable energy projects.
But state branch organiser Jack Ayoub told the hearing a system in the coal industry was needed to ensure metals mining protected human and environmental health.
“They have legislative authority to say, ‘turn it off, stop it, we’re pulling up until such a time that appropriate protections are in place’. We do not have that power within the metalliferous space,” he told the hearing.
“I think it would be a very significant change and it would have a massive impact.”
The inquiry will hold its next hearing at NSW parliament on October 27.
