The announcement follows this week’s revelation by PricewaterhouseCoopers partner, Nick Brooke that former mine employees would only be paid less than half the entitlements owed to them. He said this was due to restrictions placed on waste receival by the State Government at the recently approved landfill site.

It appears the same restriction will jeopardise rehabilitation of what has been termed a “festering sore” by Mulwaree Shire Mayor, Paul Stephenson.

On Wednesday Mr Brooke said site rehabilitation was not a top order priority in the deed of company arrangement between landfill operators, Collex and former mine owners, Denehurst.

“As far as funding for rehabilitation goes, I can offer no guarantees. Potentially there will not be enough funds to do the tailings dams or the evaporation ponds.”

Mr Brooke said the only funds available for remedial work is a $2.5 million bond Denehurst lodged with the Department of Mineral Resources. He could not clarify what works this money would cover. If funds are not forthcoming, financial responsibility for the majority of rehabilitation rests with taxpayers. Under this arrangement, $500,000 per year will be available from the Government.

This week Cr Stephenson said a certain amount of money collected by the Shire from Collex in host fees would be put in trust to rehabilitate the site.

Rehabilitation of the mine void is waste management company, Collex’s responsibility. Under the deed of arrangement, Denehurst via the administrators are responsible for the remainder of the site.

At a Commission of Inquiry held into the landfill proposal last year, total rehabilitation costs were estimated to be $15 million.

Environmental supervisor at Woodlawn, Andrew Reid estimated at the Inquiry that a traditional capping design for the three tailings dams covering 100Ha would cost $6 million.

Mr Brooke said although the overall extent of the rehabilitation plan had not been finalised, Denehurst acknowledged the need to do so.

“There is still one or two years to develop an acceptable plan in conjunction with the EPA, the Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC) and the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR),” Mr Brooke said.

This was a key recommendation to emerge from the Commission of Inquiry. Although stating that it was outside his terms of reference, Commissioner Kevin Cleland also called for an “integrated approach” to rehabilitation of the mine void and the remainder of the site. The DLWC, the DMR and several private individuals also called for a coordinated approach. The Commissioner recommended that DUAP and DMR consult with Collex regarding funds for whole of site rehabilitation prior to any approval being granted.

Mr Brooke said while the administrators were working towards their rehabilitation responsibilities, “a lot of things needed to happen” before it could be achieved.

“There are still opportunities in the future to vary the (waste) tonnage at the site so this might have a positive impact in terms of the income stream to Denehurst,” he said.

Under the deed, Denehurst will receive payments from Collex based on the amount of waste deposited at the site.

Mr Brooke said the administrators would continue to maintain the site in its current condition through the four full time workers employed to ensure that there was no runoff from the tailings and evaporation dams. Reports continued page 3

See editorial page 8