Mineral exploration companies will be required to provide clear information to landholders as part of the Resources Legislation Amendment Bill debated in State Parliament this week.
Mineral companies will now be required to advise landholders of their intent to explore for minerals within 14 days of the Minister for Energy and Resources giving his approval.
Mineral exploration companies will also be required to mark out the boundaries of prospective licenses.
According to the Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes this puts mineral exploration on the same footing as actual mining.
“The Liberal Nationals Coalition Government has listened to the concerns of the people of rural and regional areas and put in place mechanisms that will protect the interests of landholders.
“The Bill seeks to ensure that a commonsense approach is locked in legislation and provides an assurance for the landholders that their interests will be protected.”
Other aspects of the Bill include very specific requirements in relation to minimising the impact of geothermal exploration including;
A person authorised to enter land under subsection (1) and (2);
a) May do any thing on the land that is necessary for the pruposes of survey or drilling operations;
b) Must cause as little harm and inconvenience and do as little damage as possible to the land and anything on or growing on the land;
c) Must remain on the land only for so long as is reasonably necessary; and
d) Must remove from the land on completion of the survey or drilling operations all plant, machinery, equipment, goods or buildings.
Dr Sykes said that in the Benalla Electorate there have been several situations recently where there was concern among landholders about a couple of proposals that were underway. One was for coal seam gas exploration and the other for general mineral exploration.
“The mining companies engaged with landholders on a one on one basis with the intention to convey clearly what their intentions were. Unfortunately what occurred was a fragmented response in the community.
“As fear levels rose, anxiety got up and landholders came to me for guidance, in particular Mokoan farmer Doug Bain. I encouraged them to seek expert advice from Alex Arbuthnot from the VFF and the DPI. In the end a good outcome was achieved.”
Dr Sykes said the legislation will have a significant impact on landholders by giving them peace of mind.
“The Bill provides clear specifications about how the exploring companies should operate and how the land should be left when the operation is completed. It is very simply put together, which again makes is clear cut and easy to understand.”

Letter to the Editor
As Addressed

Dear Editor

I wish to register my concern about the possible impact of exploration and mining for coal seam gas in the King Valley.

Experience elsewhere in Australia with coal seam gas mining has demonstrated that ground water supplies can be put at risk.

The impact of this industry on agricultural land is far greater than originally thought.

As access to reliable supplies of excellent quality water is one of the King Valley’s main competitive advantages we must not allow anything which endangers this competitive advantage to proceed.

I therefore encourage local primary producers and community groups to get behind the Rural City of Wangaratta in their objections to the recently publicised application for an exploration licence for coal seam gas.

Yours sincerely,

Bill Sykes MP
Member for Benalla
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary
for Agriculture & Water