General News
11 April, 2025
Coming to a farm near you
The Federal Government's decision to approve the proposed WIM Resource project, the open cut mineral sands Avonbank Mine at Dooen near Horsham, has devastated landowners whose farms will be directly impacted.
"It appears the Minister for Energy and Water, Tanya Plibersek, has acted with utter disregard for the prime producing agricultural land in the Wimmera," said sixth generation Dooen farmer Gavin Puls.
"She hasn't even been here to see where it will be or to talk to us," he said.
The minister's decision authorises WIM to move forward with the project but it does not give approval to mine.
Mine Free Wimmera Farms (MFWF) issued the following statement in response to the minister's announcement.
"MFWF will continue to defend food production, farmers and the communities in which we live, from radioactive mining and all the issues that come with this toxic environment.
This announcement by Tanya Plibersek on Wednesday 8 April, is not the final approval for the Avonbank project at Dooen - they have no Mining Licence.
It is a manifestly inadequate announcement and devoid of any details surrounding the approval for a Nuclear Action in the Dooen area and does not offer any reassurances to the wider Wimmera community.
A simple word ‘approved’ is not enough particularly to a company with limited ownership transparency.
Federally protected flora and fauna species were also assessed.
No matter what side of politics you vote, no radioactive mine with an EPBC Act Nuclear Action belongs in the paddocks where grain crops are grown and especially within 250m from agricultural business and family homes.
MFWF believes no family home, business or farmer working should be within 2000m from a radioactive rare earth mineral sands mine or processing facility.
We certainly want to thank our entire community for the enormous support in submitting objections to Resources Victoria for the mining licence application for the Avonbank project.
Objections closed on April 9, but further submission may be received."
WIM's application MIN008642 for a licence to mine at Dooen is still with Resource Victoria who announced in a press release on April 1, it will continue to consider submissions from the public after the statutory end date of April 9 due to public and media response to the controversial project.
The assessment by the Earth Resource regulator will consider the project's viability, whether WIM has the capacity to deliver the proposed project and whether they are 'fit and proper' to hold a Mining Licence, they said.
Horsham Crime Investigation Unit detectives executed a warrant at a residential home in Horsham on Wednesday February 12 as part of an ongoing investigation.
A 54-year-old man was arrested and was interviewed following reports documents were fraudulently prepared and submitted as part of a proposed mining project.
The Horsham man has been released pending further enquiries.
Police did not name the man or the mining company
However, a Resource Victoria spokesperson said it would be seeking further information from WIM in relation to media reports about allegations of unethical practices during the Environmental Effects Statement process and a licence would not be awarded if the applicant was found not to be fit and proper.
The Mail-Times contacted WIM Project Manager Michael Winternitz and asked him about the impact the investigation could have on the licence application.
Mr Winternitz said all relevant information was contained in the public statement, released on April 8, but did not address questions about the investigation.
Further questions are being asked about the ministers decision to approve the Avonbank Mine while the government is in caretaker period, with the election set for May 3.
Caretaker Period decisions
"There are certain behaviours expected of government and one of those is that decisions about a major or controversial matter are not made during caretake period," Member for Mallee Anne Webster said.
"No one could say the Avonbank project was not controversial so I think the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanesi should initiate an investigation into why the minister has made this decision during caretaker period.
"I think the timing of this announcement needs to be questioned and I have written to Minister Plibersek about this," she said.
She said it was also a matter of protocal for the minister to advise the Shadow Minister for Energy of a major decision such as this and that did not occur.
Ms Webster said the future of Victoria, especially the agriculture sector, could only be described as grim if there was no change of government on May 3.
"The disregard by this labor government for our prime agricultural land in the Wimmera Mallee is unacceptable," she said.
In addition to the agriculture industry she said she was also concerned about current and the potential food manufacturing industry in the Dooen area and its possible contamination from the mine, impacting local and exports markets.
Ms Webster said she could not give absolutes about how a Coalition Government would address mining and renewables in the Wimmera Mallee because relevant information was not available to them while they were in Opposition.
Horsham Rural City Council suspended the Memorandum of Understanding, between the council and WIM Resource pending a review, at the February council meeting.
Council also voted to establish an independant Mining, Renewables and Energy committee to research and inform council on mining and renewable projects.
Horsham Rural City Council Mayor and farmer, Cr Ian Ross said he was appalled at the announcement especially as it was made during the government's caretaker period.
Cr Ross said his concerns were based on his prior experience of processes used by mining company Iluka with the Douglas Mine.
"They changed the methodolgy from what was outlined in the Environmental Effects Study and that resulted in land that can no longer be either used for food production or domestic living.
"I understand a similar process may be used by WIM at the proposed Avonbank Mine and that could render our prime food producing land unusable.
"Wimmera soil cannot be returned to its original structure like other sandy soil, it is unique and I am concerned about this, " he said.
The mayor also said he was concerned about the potential for radiation from the mine to contaminate water tanks and households.
WIM pursues final approvals
The state government planning minister Sonia Kilkenny approved the Environmental Effects Study for the Avonbank Mine in December 24, 2024.
Spokesperson for WIM said that the Federal Government **EPBC Act approval, coupled with the State Government’s positive EES assessment announced it means that WIM can move forward with confidence to secure the remaining secondary approvals.
WIM anticipates that the mine will commence construction from 2026, subject to the completion of final approvals and a financial investment decision.
** The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) 1999 is an Act of Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and cultually significant places.
