Victorian Government Accused of 'Manipulating' Planning Laws for Mining Project

The Victorian government is facing allegations of 'manipulating' its own planning system to fast-track approval for a mining project that was previously rejected. The Fingerboards Mineral Sands Project, proposed for eastern Victoria, was knocked back in 2021 due to concerns over its impact on the environment and the local horticulture industry.

However, the government is now considering a revised bid for the project, which RMIT emeritus professor of planning and environment Michael Buxton claims is a 'blatant deception'. 'The project is not a different project and it's not substantially altered,' he said.

Michael Buxton, who worked at the Victorian planning department for over a decade, believes the government failed to follow proper process by accepting the Fingerboards project for a second review. 'The minister could have just refused to consider this application — and in my view, should have,' he said.

Nearby residents who have spent years fighting the mine have expressed concerns over the latest proposal, with organic vegetable grower Kane Busch saying, 'All they've really done is rolled a turd in glitter to make it look shiny.'

The company behind the project, Gippsland Critical Minerals (GCM), rejects these claims and says its new bid for approval includes significant changes. GCM said the site was a rich source of a range of minerals, which had been deemed critical by the Australian government.

Between 2015 and 2023, global demand doubled for mineral sands, which contain concentrated amounts of heavy minerals such as rare-earth elements. The proposed Fingerboards mine site, 25 kilometres west of Bairnsdale, is believed to be a major source of 'ex-China production' of the rare-earth oxides dysprosium and terbium, elements on Australia's critical minerals list.

University of Sydney professor of global governance Susan Park said she was 'not surprised at all' that rejected minerals projects were getting a second look. 'It might not have been viable five years ago, but obviously the demand is continuing to grow and this means that mines that weren't considered possible back then may now be viable,' she said.

GCM chief executive Michelle Wood said it was 'misleading and false' to claim the project proposal had not been rescoped. 'We've done substantial redesign work over a number of years,' she said. 'We have made those changes and adjusted according to what the community have told us.'

She said the company reduced the proposed footprint of the mine by 27 per cent and cut the rate of mining by 40 per cent. Mining would be excluded from a 1.5-kilometre buffer to the Lindenow Valley horticulture area, up from 600 metres, and from three gullies located between the pits and the Mitchell River.

The Victorian government declined an interview but said the project was still being considered. 'As this project is currently being assessed it would be inappropriate to comment further — no decision has been made,' a spokesperson said.