Social Impact Assessment - McArthur River Mining

Situation Analysis
• welfare dependency
• lack of family support for a daily work routine, including nutritional and behavioural conditions
• need for supporting programs for women including child care and financial management advice
• failure of local recruits / trainees to reliably pass the daily drug and alcohol test required of all mine
site personnel
• retention of trainees and commitment to completing the traineeship program
• low conversion rate of trainees to long-term employment and further skills training
• cultural impacts on availability of trainees, such as ceremonial duties and family obligations.
Significant action has been taken in the community to help address these issues. This includes:
• The establishment of an Alcohol Management Committee within Borroloola and associated draft
Alcohol and Drugs Management Plan
• Trust investments in programs such as The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program involving
mentoring for parents and work experience programs for school students, enterprise and job
creation activities with Mungoorbada Aboriginal Corporation, Mabunji Aboriginal Resource
Association including youth diversion programs and new business support (see Appendix 3. MRM
Community Benefits Trust Grants approved 2007-2011).
• MRM investments in tertiary scholarships for young people, support for health services (as previously
outlined) and school work experience programs.
b. Land Tenure
Current Gulf Region land usage is identified through categorisation of land tenures. Two key categories
exist:
1. Crown Lands:
• Pastoral leases
• Non-pastoral crown leases, for example Aboriginal Community Living Areas on pastoral leases, multipurpose
usage.
2. Freehold Lands:
• Inalienable Aboriginal Freehold, for example land granted under Australian or Territory legislation to
Aboriginal communities
• Normal freehold, for example private land within Borroloola township.
• Borroloola is a declared town surrounded by land owned by the Aboriginal Land Trust (NT).
Borroloola
In Borroloola, several issues are at play relating to land tenure, which currently means development able to be
undertaken in the town is limited.
1. Flood mapping
• Much of the land surrounding Borroloola is affected by the flood plain of the McArthur River and
Rocky Creek, which runs through the Borroloola township. The area, which sees a significant annual
Phase 3 Development Project ----- Social Impact Assessment 40