Anthony Albanese finally weighs in after $1b Regis McPhillamy’s gold mine knocked back

Anthony Albanese has brushed off suggestions there are different sets of rules for the approval of mines compared to renewable energy projects, in the wake of his government’s contentious decision that brought down a $1b project.

The Regis McPhillamy’s gold project near Orange is “unviable” according to the company, after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek overrode state and federal planning approvals and used Aboriginal cultural heritage laws to stop the development in its tracks.

The decision meant the company could not build the tailings dam in its approved location, because of the concerns of a small group of Wiradjuri locals about the potential desecration of Belubula River headwaters and “irreversible detrimental impacts” to the landscape.

Despite the government’s insistence the company could go ahead with the Blayney project if it built the dam elsewhere, Regis said the project was now “unviable” because no other sites that had been investigated were feasible.

The decision coincided with the Albanese government’s decision to greenlight the country’s largest-ever renewables project — a 12,000 hectare solar farm project to be built in the Northern Territory.

The go-ahead came with strict conditions to protect nature, including requirements to “completely avoid important specials” like the Greater Bilby and critical habitat.

Nationals leader David Littleproud accused Labor of making “ideological decisions” about resources projects.

“(They) are more about winning back inner-city seats to appease the Teals and Greens,” Mr Littleproud said.

The Prime Minister on Friday denied renewable energy projects got a “free ride” while mining proposals were knocked back.

“The (Regis gold mine) remains approved... It’s a matter of where the tailing dam is located, and when the proponents of the project put it forward, Tanya Plibersek advises me they had a range of options for where the dam would go,” Mr Albanese said.

“So a common sense approach, if you’re sensible, you can get good environmental outcomes, as well as getting industry going ahead. And that is something that my government, in terms of the resources sector, has worked very closely with them.”

His comments came as reports emerged the Indigenous historian who helped topple the project proposed mine location said the site should be treated with the same respect as historical sites of “Gallipoli and Battle of the Somme”.

The submission to the NSW government, obtained by The Australian, reveals the dissident Indigenous activist group who broke with the local land council to voice objections claimed the history of frontier wars in the location made it historically significant.

The Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council had adopted a neutral position on the project, but questioned in its own submission the authenticity of those opposing the site on Indigenous heritage sites.

“We question the motives of people and organisations who participate in pro­moting unsubstantiated claims and seek to hijack Aboriginal ­Cultural Heritage in order to push other agendas,” the council wrote in its January 2023 submission.

The Coalition plans to move a motion in Federal Parliament next month to reverse Ms Plibersek’s use of the cultural heritage laws.