Arabunna elder Uncle Kevin Buzzacott will be putting BHP Billiton on notice this weekend, asking for a guarantee that the company cease and desist operations within two years, and pay damages for decades of health and environmental impacts.
The water bill alone totals $1.27 billion at the current commercial water rate of $3.36 per kilolitre over the 28 years that the company has been receiving free water under the Indenture Act. The mine uses an average of 37 million litres of water per day from the Great Artesian Basin, now totalling over 378 billion litres of water. This is impacting the mound springs in the Lake Eyre region, which are integral to the desert ecosystem and sacred to the Arabunna people.
Uncle Kevin is inviting all others affected by this operation to put in their compensation claims: “I’ve lost so many people since this place started, people that are close. It’s been very devastating for our people, and it won’t stop until this place closes down.”
Media are invited to the Lizard Bites Back for a press conference with Uncle Kevin and the Desert Liberation Front at 10.30am on the 1st July. Meet at the welcome tent.
Contact:
Nectaria Calan 0432 388 665
Izzy Brown 0457 695 738
