"Financial, environmental and safety issues emerge at Nathan River Resources' Roper Bar mine", 14 April 2026

The Northern Territory government is being accused of weak regulation at an embattled remote iron ore mine, as financial, environmental and safety issues emerge after workers were stood down.

Since Good Friday, Nathan River Resources (NRR) has stood down more than 40 workers without pay at its Roper Bar site, located 600 kilometres south-east of Darwin.

…, NRR blamed the fuel crisis for its financial predicament.

But unions have downplayed the impact of fuel, labelling it an excuse, and saying the mine has been mismanaged for months…

They say workers are owed weeks of wages and months of superannuation, while contractors and suppliers are out of pocket.

Queensland-based contractor Brendan Haines supplied road trains and side tippers to the mine for five months last year and claimed he was owed $218,000.

… Mr Haines said the NT government should have intervened at the mine, considering it granted NRR its licence after conducting a "fit and proper person" test.

… An injured employee on workers' compensation told … the NT government's work safety regulator was told months ago that several workers on the scheme were not being paid…

NT organiser at the Electrical Trades Union David Hayes said he had also received reports from workers concerned about apparent pollution caused by the mine.

The ABC has obtained pictures of seemingly polluted waterways near the mine, taken last year.

… Mr Hayes said workers were also worried about safety issues at the mine.

He said NT WorkSafe last inspected the site …, but gave notice to NRR before arriving.