Extracting Justice: Mining, Accountability and Community Power in the Pacific
Mittwoch, 10.06.2026 bis Donnerstag, 11.06.2026Konferenz, University of Sydney (Australien)
Extracting Justice: Mining, Accountability and Community Power in the Pacific Wednesday Jun 10th, 2026 | All Day Extracting Justice: Mining, Accountability and Community Power in the Pacific is a landmark two-day conference (10-11 June) focused on mining, corporate power and justice in the Pacific region. Hosted by Jubilee Australia, the Human Rights Law Centre and the University of Sydney’s Sydney Environment Institute, the conference brings together Pacific community leaders and environmental defenders, civil society organisations, academics, legal and policy advocates, students, media and allies from across the region and Australia.
Centred on the voices and lived experiences of those most affected, the conference will examine the social, environmental and cultural impacts of mining in the Pacific, including harm to rivers, oceans, land, food systems, livelihoods and community sovereignty. Through first-hand community storytelling, case studies and policy analysis, the program will highlight how extractive projects can have interconnected impacts on human rights and operate with impunity, and how corporate accountability gaps are reinforced by power imbalances and weak regulation.
The conference will explore major mining justice struggles across the Pacific, including impacts on rivers and marine ecosystems, failures to respect Indigenous rights, and the experiences of communities resisting, or seeking justice for, harmful projects. It will also examine Australia’s role as a home state for mining companies operating in the Pacific, and the legal, regulatory and reform pathways available to strengthen corporate accountability and access to justice.
Across two days (10-11 June 2026) of panels and case studies, participants will build cross-regional solidarity and share knowledge and experiences on pathways for community empowerment, reform and collective action.
Days 1 and 2 are open to the public. Registration is essential, but attendance is free. Register here.
Sydney Film Festival Presents: Sukundimi Walks Before Me - The program aligns with the Australian premiere screening of the feature film Sukundimi Walks Before Me at the Sydney Film Festival on the 11th and 13th of June, which centres the mighty Sepik River — the lifeblood of its people — and documents Sepik communities’ resistance to the proposed gold-copper mine located near the river’s waters. To celebrate the screening, the conference in collaboration with Project Sepik will host a panel discussion to explore the film's themes.
Tickets for the Sepik film screening are going fast and are limited so book yours now: www.sff.org.au/program/event/sukundimi-walks-before-me/
