Peter Garrett offer an olive branch to cranky Russell Crowe

The Daily Telegraph
April 23, 2009 12:00am
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+ - Print Email Share Add to MySpace Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Fark Post to Facebook Add to Kwoff What are these? Bauxite blues ... Peter Garrett and Russell Crowe.
WHILE Russell Crowe is used to picking fights, federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has jabbed back deftly after the actor slagged him off on US television. The star of the upcoming Robin Hood movie raved about a wildlife reserve in far North Queensland dedicated to the late Steve Irwin.

Crowe told David Letterman it was a "global irresponsibility" to allow bauxite mining on the Cape York Peninsula reserve.

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"You know (Steve's) not here to stand up for himself and I just feel, as his friend, that we can't do that," said Crowe, who added he'd made an offer to chat about the issue with Garrett, who hadn't "bothered to respond".

But Crowe wasn't done. He also accused the Federal Government of trying to "soft-soap" the real impact of bauxite mining.

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Courier Mail, 6 Nov 2008 "They give you the language that appears to make any resistance sort of silly or unreasonable," he said. "Their excuse is that only 1 per cent of bauxite mining in Australia will happen in this place. (But) if you dig the s. . . out of the ground and you cover it over with grass seeds, the only way you can have no impact is by actually putting the bauxite back."

Garrett appeared surprised by the TV blast. On a Kimberley visit yesterday, the former Midnight Oil frontman said: "There hasn't been any formal contact from Russell Crowe in relation to the Steve Irwin property.

"But it is subject to rigorous environmental impact assessment with the Queensland Government and relevant authorities. My understanding is that that will continue."

Nevertheless, Garrett did extend a hand - containing an olive branch - to Crowe.

"Of course, if Russell wants to get in touch with us and make formal contact, I am always happy to talk to him," he said.