00:00The gateway to Kakadu, staring down the barrel of closure.
00:06In the wet season, the lifeline is the Jabiru Airport into the region beyond Kyle Crossing.
00:13The clinics out there, the outstations, the communities, the ranger groups, the businesses,
00:19they all use Jabiru Airport for essential items.
00:24Jabiru Airport is part of the lease area for the ranger uranium mine,
00:28which ceased operation five years ago.
00:31Under federal regulations, Rio Tinto is set to close and bulldoze the airport to the distress of locals.
00:37If there's no airstrip there, mate, it pretty much will be the end of Jabiru.
00:41While locals are concerned by the closure's impact on essential goods and services,
00:45they're also worried about harm to the local economy from depriving Jabiru of a source of critical tourist revenue.
00:51In a statement, Rio Tinto says it's not firmly attached to the current plan.
00:56We are supportive of efforts to retain the airport, subject to appropriate arrangements being agreed.
01:01The local member wants both the territory and federal governments to ensure the airport stays open.
01:06I'd like the federal government and the CLP government to get the stakeholders at the table
01:12to discuss the future of Jabiru and the certainty of Jabiru.
01:16You know, people are unsure what is happening with the airport in the next six months.
01:21A passionate plea as time to change course runs out.
01:26...
01:27What?
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