Chapter 1
1.1
On 4 December 2008, the Senate referred the following matter to the
committee for inquiry and report by 25 June 2009:
Forestry and mining operations on the Tiwi Islands
-
an assessment of
the environmental, economic and community impacts of existing and proposed
forestry and mining operations on the Tiwi Islands including compliance with
relevant environmental approvals and conditions;
-
a review of governance
arrangements relating to existing forestry and mining operations on the Tiwi
Islands, including the examination of consent and approval processes to date;
-
in respect to
forestry operations, an examination of the adequacy of contractual, commercial
and legal arrangements between project proponents and operators and the Tiwi
Land Council;
-
an examination of the
economic opportunity costs associated with existing developments including
forestry operations;
-
an examination
of the prospects for alternative economic development opportunities and
impediments for the Tiwi Islands including sale and promotion of cultural
products, community development activities, land and sea management, and
opportunities for involvement in future carbon trading and emissions offsets
schemes; and
-
any related
matters.
1.2
On 16 June 2009 the Senate agreed to an extension of time to report on
this inquiry to 17 September 2009, which was subsequently again extended to 26
October 2009 and then to 29 October 2009.
1.3
In accordance with its usual practice, the committee advertised details
of the inquiry in The Australian. The committee also contacted a range
of organisations and individuals, inviting submissions. The committee received
submission from 42 individuals and organisations, listed at Appendix 1.
1.4
The committee held public hearings in Darwin, Pickertaramoor on Melville
Island and Canberra. The committee also held an in camera hearing in
Nguiu on Bathurst Island, with Tiwi Island women. Details of these hearings are
at Appendix 2. A list of tabled documents and additional information is at
Appendix 3.
The Tiwi Islands
1.5
The Tiwi Islands are located approximately 80 kilometres north of Darwin
in the Arafura Sea. There are two islands, Bathurst Island to the west and
Melville Island to the east, separated by the Apsley Straight. Melville Island
is Australia's largest (excluding Tasmania), and the two together have an area
of around 7500 square kilometres.[1]
1.6
The current population of the islands is approximately 2500. The largest
settlements on the islands are Nguiu (Bathurst Island), Pirlangimpi and
Milikapiti (both Melville Island). Two bodies are responsible for governance
and service provision on the Islands: the Tiwi Islands Shire Council, and the
Tiwi Land Council.
The inquiry process
1.7
During the course of the inquiry the committee visited the Tiwi Islands,
on 19 May 2009. It was fortunate in being able to visit both islands, and to be
shown the forestry camp, plantation forestry, and the native woodlands, prior
to holding a hearing at Pickertaramoor in the afternoon. The committee would
like to thank the Tiwi Islanders for welcoming the committee to their lands. It
also thanks the many individuals and organisations who provided assistance
before, during or after that visit, including the Tiwi Land Council, Tiwi
Islands Shire Council, Great Southern Group, the Tiwi College at
Pickertaramoor, Kilapayuwu (Teresita) Puruntatameri and Maren Rusia.
1.8
Great Southern Group is a managed investment scheme company responsible
for the Islands' most significant industry: forestry plantations for woodchip
production. During the course of the inquiry, Great Southern went into
administration, an event which presents significant challenges for the future
of forestry on the Islands, and which is discussed in chapter two of the
report. The committee was disappointed that, despite several invitations to
appear or to provide comment, the administrators of Great Southern did not
release representatives to speak to the committee. The committee's inability to
pursue up-to-date evidence from the company, or to ask questions about its
operations, made it difficult to pursue some important questions.
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