Fed: Ok Tedi landowners say BHP is criminal = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2000
Fed: Ok Tedi landowners say BHP is criminal = 2

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer did not meet with the delegation but Labor, the Australian
Democrats and Greens Senator Bob Brown had participated in talks, the group said.

"There was a meeting requested with the foreign affairs minister but the response was
that they were very busy," PNG MP for South Fly, Gabia Gagirimabu, said.

The delegation called on all federal politicians to assess the situation and put themselves
in the landholders' positions.

"We have asked the Australian parliamentarians to look at legislation of policies here
in Australia to make it more stringent for Australian companies to comply with standards
here in Australia in their mining activities in foreign countries," Mr Gagirimabu said.

BHP has a 52 per cent stake in the Ok Tedi mine, which has faced problems since 1984
when the original tailings dam at the mine site collapsed.

Four years ago, BHP settled claims with 30,000 PNG landowners over Ok Tedi.

Senator Brown said the problems were not going away, and it was time the federal government
took responsibility for dealing with the issue.

"The minister for foreign affairs I think ought to have had the grace to have given
at least top level audience to the representatives of the people in the Fly River system
affected by the Ok Tedi mine."

Labor also condemned BHP, renewing an earlier call for a wide review of environmental
protection standards and practices implemented by Australian mining companies operating
overseas.

"Instead of providing environmental leadership for Australian mining companies operating
overseas, BHP's performance at Ok Tedi has been an absolute disaster," opposition foreign
affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton said in a joint statement with Labor's environment spokesman,
Nick Bolkus.

But Mr Downer's office said one of the reasons the minister did not discuss the issue
was because it was now before the courts.

AAP lm/mfh/sk

KEYWORD: BHP PNG 2 CANBERRA

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