There were many promises made to our people about the benefits of mining. School, housing, employment, health services and investments. Well, we have no Aboriginal graduates of secondary education. Housing is substandard. The vast majority of the community is unemployed.
Health services are minimal.
And those strategic investments are losing value each year. Consumption of alcohol and dependence on welfare are inescapable problems. Aboriginal people in our community are not regarded as citizens. If these problems are to be addressed, there is only the offer of a new mine for us to be able to achieve a better standard of living. The dominance of multi-national mining companies on our country has cost our community a high price.