Rashelle Predovnik – Page 13

Curious silence

I FIND it disappointing that I have had no reply from Toodyay Shire Cr Mick McKeown to fully explain why he opposed this year’s shire budget which was passed 6-1 at a Special Council Meeting on August 28.

This is despite two follow up emails to him after my letter raising those questions was published in last month’s Herald.

I also find it curious that Cr McKeown has not done me the courtesy of explaining why he did not reply.

I had to read last month’s Herald to discover that he is citing a risk of causing reputational damage to the Local Government.

By not responding to a member of his constituency about valid questions he seems to be causing such damage regardless.

Jo Hart
Morangup

Thin edge of the wedge

CHALICE Mining is running a clever and well-funded public relations campaign to earn its ‘social licence’ for the proposed Gonneville mine.

It is spending lavishly to gain community trust.

However, Gonneville may just be the thin edge of the wedge.

As Chalice says in its recent corporate presentation, ‘The Gonneville Resource occupies around only two kilometres of the more than 30km long Julimar Complex – its development could be a province opening play’.

A ‘province’ in mining-speak is a geographic area containing particular mineral deposits.
Chalice’s statement implies that the plan is to first mine Gonneville, as a way to open up mining in the rest of the ‘province’, namely the Julimar State Forest.

Keep in mind that the Gonneville mine will be a hole in the ground approximately 1.7 cubic kilometres in size (1.9 x 1.5 x 0.6 km).

It will generate huge amounts of tailings and contaminated water, along with requiring 18 million litres of water per year for processing.

We do not know where this water will come from, nor do we know whether or how that hole in the ground will be filled, and somehow revegetated, at the end of the mine’s life – or who will pay for that.

Now, imagine if similar holes in the ground are dug out along the ‘30km long Julimar Complex’, as Chalice calls it.

It would cause horrific environmental destruction and must never be allowed to happen.
It is one thing to develop a mine on private land that is already partially cleared; it is quite another to do so on public land consisting of mature forest.

The Julimar forest has survived more or less intact after previous extractive industries such as selective logging for timber and tannin.

But there is no way it could survive a new assault of this magnitude.

Chalice offers soothing words about ‘offsets’, but as pointed out in the excellent article by Bethan Lloyd in last month’s Herald, offsets are largely a sham.

The fact is, we need all the forest we can get.

We are in the middle of global climate and biodiversity crises threatening the very survival of our modern civilisation.

Healthy forests are essential to halting both of these crises.

The more we destroy our forests, the more we will destroy ourselves.

We cannot extract ‘green metals’ at the expense of green forests.

The best way for Chalice to earn community trust would be for it to publicly declare a permanent end to its exploration of the Julimar Forest.

The Julimar is non-negotiable, and we must reinforce its protection by urging government to confirm the Julimar as a national park.

Peter Cook, PhD
Toodyay

History is calling

Why is it not possible to have open, grown-up and rational debate about this month’s Voice Federal Referendum?

I am tired of the personal attacks that follow whenever I try to raise the subject in a sensible, non-emotional manner.

The reveal from a parliamentary leader that Indigenous leader Marcia Langton is calling all No voters “racist and stupid” is a clear indication of how divisive the Voice actually is.

(I don’t like the leader concerned but I read it the same way as him this time.)
It’s really a step too far.

Then I find our own Toodyay Herald is being, unheralded, used as a platform to promote the Yes vote – this is really the last straw.

Nobody with any compassion or sense of fair play would deny first nations people a say in what affects them or challenge the fact that their individual entitlement should be equal to any other Australian.

There should be no ‘gap’ – politicians already have all the power they need to ensure there isn’t.

However, this doesn’t require any knee-jerk amendment to the Australian Constitution – just listening and action by the various governments that have been in power for the past, say, 50 years.

As I see it, the Yes vote’s stance is that we should grant this government and all future governments an enormous increase in power by the appointment of people, not necessarily representing any particular First Nations group, but vulnerable, as they would be reliant on the government of the day for their continued access to the golden trough without explaining how that power would be used.

Just ‘trust us’.

I’m suspicious of anyone asking me to take things on trust, especially governments that have consistently failed to put the interests of the electorate before their own political ends.

I am disinclined to hand them more power until they learn not to abuse the power they already have.

It’s all far too much unicorns and rainbows for me.

Until I am given sufficient information to allow me to vote Yes, I’ll be voting No.
I urge anyone who is even slightly uneasy about the situation to vote No.

I urge anyone who, like me, has actually lived under Apartheid elsewhere and seen the divisive and dehumanising results of this disgusting, race-based system, to vote No.

I urge anyone who is uncomfortable about further division in Australia on racial lines, to vote No.

I urge anyone who is even vaguely uncomfortable at handing more unchecked power to government, present and future (ie: we get to vote them out only once every three years) to vote No.

And lastly (thank you Page 17, September edition), I urge anyone who is indifferent, incurious or has no strong opinion to vote No.

Because history is calling and voting No won’t take away anything from First Nations people, just, perhaps, force governments to listen and act (as they should have been doing for the last 50 years without changing the Constitution).

As a letter from Helen Shanks says in last month’s Herald, “Know what you are voting for” and “please make it an informed one”.

Marion Pathey-Johns
Toodyay

Not Geoff

I REFER to a letter headed “Peculiar creatures” about the Wagyl which was published in last month’s Herald.

It was signed by G. R. Brown of Jurien Bay, giving an address and phone number – not Geoff Brown of Toodyay.

Geoff Brown
Toodyay

Six candidates vie for three council vacancies

THREE sitting councillors and a former shire deputy president are among six candidates contesting three seats at this month’s Toodyay Shire Council elections.

The former shire deputy president is Toodyay Race Club President John Prater.

The other candidates are Shire President Rosemary Madacsi, Shire Deputy President Beth Ruthven, Cr Susan Pearce and newcomers Ray Mills and Shelly Dival.

A postal ballot of all 3638 registered Toodyay electors opened on September 15.

The new council will meet soon after the poll closes on Saturday October 21 to hold a secret ballot in the council chamber to elect a shire president for the next two years.

The council agreed earlier this year reduce its size from nine to seven members.

Cr Phil Hart did not seek re-election to the smaller council.

Chalice shares crash as miner announces Julimar start date

By Michael Sinclair-Jones
CHALICE Mining shares crashed 30 per cent last month after the company revealed plans for a Julimar open-cut mine worth $18 billion to start production in six years’ time.

The shock market reaction caught the Perth miner by surprise but it hasn’t stopped plans to start processing up to 30 million tonnes of ore a year, starting in early 2029.

Chalice says local groundwater will not be used but has yet to announce how it will dispose of millions of litres of waste water contaminated by mineral processing.

A scoping study suggests it could total up to 18 million litres a year based on an estimated 0.6 litres of water needed per tonne of ore.

A tailings dump to store up to 30 million tonnes of discarded waste annually is also planned for Chalice-owned farmland.

The miner said it will seek Federal and State environmental approvals early next year, and start construction in mid-2026.

About 1200 workers would be needed for contruction and 500 for mining operations.

Chalice told the Australian Stock Exchange on August 29 that it would give job priority to local workers.

“These jobs will be particularly attractive given their proximity to Perth and the lifestyle values of the surrounding region,” the miner said.

A Chalice scoping study said a new kilometre-wide open-cut mine would pay for itself in the first two years of operation.

Some market analysts blamed the share price crash on the 2029 start date while others claimed Chalice had over-valued its Julimar discovery by basing projections on assumed future metal prices instead of current values.

The miner has drilled a large area of Julimar farmland and State forest where it has discovered what it describes as a “world class” deposit of rare metals that are in high demand to combat global warming.

Tests have revealed significant amounts of palladium, platinum, cobalt, nickel and copper, which Chalice says are needed to produce electric vehicles, ‘green’ hydrogen and fossil-free renewable energy.

Chalice plans to mine nearly half a million ounces of palladium, platinum and gold a year at Julimar, plus 16,000 tonnes of nickel, 16,000 tonnes of copper and 1400 tonnes of cobalt annually until 2047.

It also plans to build a Julimar processing plant to crush ore and use sulfide flotation to produce an ore concentrate for export to precious metals refineries overseas.

An area two thirds of the surface area of the Kalgoorlie Super Pit will be used for an open-cut mine and tailings dump on Chalice-owned farmland near Keating Road.

Exploratory drilling has discovered further similar deposits in the nearby State-registered Julimar Conservation Park but this area is excluded from current plans.

The forest contains rare and endangered native birds, plants and animals, and has prompted calls for the State Government to upgrade its status to national park to protect it from future mining.

In response to the share price crash, Chalice said “we appreciate it may take time for the market to absorb and fully digest the study”.

“Chalice remains well-funded to pursue development of the project with over $140 million in cash,” the company said.

The mine would also require a new 132kV Western Power line to be built from Muchea to Julimar and a new transformer substation to be installed at the minesite.

The company says it will ask the Water Corporation to build a new 50km pipeline to Julimar to deliver water to the minesite.

Chalice said it would provide future “modelling on noise impacts” for surrounding farms and rural residential properties.

Whitewater drama at Extracts Weir

This year’s dry winter created havoc for power boats at Extracts Weir where low water levels turned the slippery rock wall into a formidable obstacle in last month’s 50th annual Avon Descent river race through Toodyay.

Vandals wreck Noongar cultural display at Redbank Pool

VANDALS have wrecked a local Noongar cultural interpretive display at Redbank Pool.

The site has historical significance as a traditional meeting place for local Ballardong and Yued families prior to colonial settlement.

It contains a bird hide with two large Gnulla Moort (Our Family) panels that describe how local Aboriginal people inhabited the area 200 years ago.

The damage was discovered early this month by Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation member Helen Shanks.

It appears that someone has used keys or a screwdriver to gouge through the descriptive artwork.

Toodyay police say they are investigating.

Cr says budget fails ratepayers – doesn’t explain why

By Michael Sinclair-Jones
AN ACRIMONIOUS dispute erupted at the end of last month’s Toodyay Shire Council special meeting when members voted 6-1 to approve a seven per cent rate rise.

The increase aims to raise $7.6 million in ratepayer revenue this financial year.

Cr Mick McKeown (left) objected to the increase and other budget statements of account.

“In my opinion this budget does not adequately address the concerns of the ratepayers of Toodyay,” he said.

McKeown did not speak further to his objection.

“Right, it’s a bit late in the day to mention it,” Shire President Rosemary Madacsi said as she recorded Cr McKeown’s objection.

Earlier, councillors voted 7-0 to give themselves a pay rise this financial year.

“Point of order, Madam President,” Cr McKeown said.

“Are you making a comment or having a debate or ruling on a point or order?”

“I am making a comment, councillor,” President Madacsi said.

“I think you need to withdraw it,” Cr McKeown said.

“No, I don’t think so,” President Madacsi said.

“We’ve had … the comment I think was valid given the amount of workshops (eight since last December) we’ve had.

“If there was a concern with the budget …”

“Madam President, you are now debating,” Cr McKeown said.

“I’m not debating, I’m making a …” President Madacsi said.

“Oh, I think you are …” Cr McKeown said.

Both began talking over each other.

“You are overruling the presiding member,” President Madacsi said.

“I’m interrupting the presiding member on a point of order,” Cr McKeown said.

“You have a point of order for constantly interrupting and over-speaking the presiding member,” President Madacsi said.

“There is no rule against interrupting a presiding member,” Cr McKeown said.

“There is a rule that says you are not to interrupt another councillor except when raising a point of order.”

“Then I suggest you become more familiar with standing orders please,” President Madacsi said.

“Councillor, we will move on.”

Members voted 7-0 to accept five of the meeting’s seven budget recommendations.

The other two recommendations were carried 6-1, with Cr McKeown voting against both but not speaking further.

They included $360,000 in annual State Treasury loan repayments for a previous council’s decision in 2019 to build the now largely unused Toodyay Recreation Centre.

Cr McKeown declined later to explain to Herald readers why he said the budget failed to adequately address ratepayer concerns, and why he twice voted ‘no’ at the meeting.

“I now may not make any elaboration regarding this matter because to do so may be a breach of clause 4(1)(e) of the Shire of Toodyay Code of Conduct for Council Members, Committee Members and Candidates,” Cr McKeown said.

The clause published on the shire website under the heading ‘Personal integrity’ says a council member “should avoid damage to the reputation of local government”.

Three council seats up for grabs

THREE sitting Toodyay shire councillors will recontest their seats at next month’s WA local government elections.

Shire President Rosemary Madacsi, Shire Deputy President Beth Ruthven and Cr Susan Pearce – whose four-year terms expire next month – have all formally nominated for the October 21 poll.

Nominations for three council vacancies close at 4pm on Thursday October 7 – one day after The Herald goes to press.

More candidates are expected to stand.

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