Mine works impacted by protestMONDAY MARCH 22PROTESTERS have returned to a mine site on Tasmania’s west coast after arrests last week.About 20 activists have again blocked access to Venture Minerals’ Riley Creek mine site and one has locked themselves to a crane.Dr Lisa Searle has attached herself to the crane which is being used to construct a wet screening plant to extract iron ore.“By immobilising the crane, we are preventing Venture Minerals from completing construction of the plant and creating any further damage to this land,” Dr Searle said.“Venture Minerals is planning to use the profits from this Riley Creek strip mine to fund two much larger and even more destructive projects in the ancient rainforests of Mount Lindsay and Mount Livingstone. These mines will create huge scars across the takayna landscape, and irreversible damage to habitats of many threatened and endangered species. “Venture minerals should get out and stay out of takayna/Tarkine. This is Aboriginal land and we are campaigning for takayna to be returned to Aboriginal ownership.”Three arrests were made last week after police were called to the site in as many days.Venture Minerals CEO Andrew Radonjic said the company respected people’s right to protest.“But that doesn’t give them the right to trespass and it doesn’t give them the right to prevent our employees and contractors from performing their lawful work on a mine with incredibly low environmental impact while creating 100 jobs and significant activity,” Mr Radonjic said.The arrival of equipment to build a screening plant to wash and separate the ore at the mine site is understood to have sparked the latest protest.Venture confirmed the structural, mechanical, piping and electrical installation of the Wet Screening Plant had begun with Crisp Bros and Haywards now installing the first of the structural steel that makes up the plant’s framework.Venture has also hired a general manager, a construction manager and a shipping officer.“As the Company moves towards its first iron ore shipment, the Riley Mine Development team is quickly falling into place with a perfect blend of start-up and operational experience inthe iron ore space,” the company told the ASX recently.Charges over armed robbery SUNDAY MARCH 21, 3:30pmA 37-YEAR-OLD man has been charged following a brazen robbery in the Southern Midlands.About 4.30am Saturday, two men allegedly gained entry to the Kempton home of a 74-year-old man and 60-year-old woman before demanding the takings from the post office, which is run by the couple.The northern suburbs man — who was charged with aggravated robbery, burglary and stealing, and possessing a controlled drug — will appear in out of hours court tonight.A second man wearing a grey hoodie is still wanted by police.Detective Inspector Craig Joel urged anyone living in the area with CCTV or who has dashcam footage from the area near Kempton at the time of the incident to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers at crimestopperstas.com.au or 1800 333 000.“That footage may be critical to the police investigation,” he said.Serious crash at DunalleySUNDAY MARCH 21, 3pm:The crash on Arthur Hwy and Spotswood Rd is clear and the road is open.SUNDAY MARCH 21, 12:30pm:Police, Fire and Ambulance Tasmania are on scene of a two vehicle accident at the intersection of Arthur Highway and Spotswood Rd, Dunalley.The road is partially obstructed but not blocked, so traffic delays are expected.There are no life-threatening injuries reported at this time.SUNDAY MARCH 21, 12pm:Police and other emergency services are responding to reports of a serious crash involving a motor vehicle and a motorcycle at the intersection of Arthur Hwy and Spotswood Rd, Dunalley.Any injuries are unknown at this early stage.Drivers are asked to avoid the area and seek alternative [email protected]



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