Police pre-empt land claim

At least 20 police entered the proposed Barrick Gold mine site 
at Cowal in central western NSW to break up the protest camp set 
up by the traditional Aboriginal owners and 
environmentalists.

"To hear that police have moved in on this camp while the 
traditional owners are still pursuing a native claim is an 
outrage", said Dr Kaye, Greens NSW Senate candidate.

Dr Kaye pointed out that in addition to being of great importance 
to the Wiradjuri people it was also an ecological hot spot, with 
up to 277 protected species of birds recorded or considered as 
possible occurrences in the Lake Cowal region.

"Many of these migratory birds are protected under agreements 
between Australia and Japan and China.

"The proposed use of cyanide places at risk not only the 
downstream farmers but the wetlands themselves which are listed 
on the Directory of Important Wetlands of Australia, the Register 
of the National Estate, and as a 'Landscape Conservation Area' by 
the National Trust".

Dr Kaye called on the Federal Government to use its powers to 
acquire the land, subject to the outcome of the native title 
claim. Should the claim not be successful, the government should 
purchase the land from the gold mine developers and hand it over 
to the traditional owners.

"We owe at least this much to the Wiradjuri people, to the 
downstream farmers and to future generations", he said.