The Wire

Today mining giant BHP Billiton held its annual general meeting in Brisbane. Activists are concerned about many projects exemptions in the laws surrounding the Roxby Downs Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia. At its London AGM, BHP chairman Don Argus stated: “as a major producer of uranium we have to meet the strictest environmental, health and safety standards.” John Poppins, spokesperson for BHP Shareholders for Corporate Social Responsibility, told the Wire he wants to know if the company will make good on that claim, and relinquish its current exemptions form the law. Techa Beaumont from the Mineral Policy Institute attended the AGM and put some questions to the board.