❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the WA government's policy on exploration and mining in National Parks and Nature Reserves, particularly regarding amendments to the Mining Act and granted leases since February 2001. The government clarifies its policy and admits to granting some leases, including one granted in error.
AnsweredQoN 1990Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Regarding the Government’s commitment to prevent exploration and mining in National Parks and Nature Reserves -
(1) What is the Government’s policy on exploration and mining in National Parks and Nature Reserves?
(2) Are amendments to the
Mining Act
currently being considered?
(3) If yes, will the proposed amendments to the
Mining Act
include an amendment to ban exploration and mining in National Parks and Nature Reserves?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Has the Department of Industry and Resources granted any exploration or mining leases in National Parks and Nature Reserves since February 2001?
(6) If yes, which leases in which National Park or Nature Reserve?
(1) What is the Government’s policy on exploration and mining in National Parks and Nature Reserves?
(2) Are amendments to the
Mining Act
currently being considered?
(3) If yes, will the proposed amendments to the
Mining Act
include an amendment to ban exploration and mining in National Parks and Nature Reserves?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Has the Department of Industry and Resources granted any exploration or mining leases in National Parks and Nature Reserves since February 2001?
(6) If yes, which leases in which National Park or Nature Reserve?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 June 2004
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for State Development
Response time
47 days
(1) The State Government’s policy in respect to exploration and mining in National Parks and nature reserves is: For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged after 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, over these land classifications will not be given. Areas of encroachment onto these reserve areas are excised from the tenement at the time of grant. For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged prior to 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged after 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, over these land classifications will not be given. Areas of encroachment onto these reserve areas are excised from the tenement at the time of grant. For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged prior to 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, over these land classifications will not be given. Areas of encroachment onto these reserve areas are excised from the tenement at the time of grant. For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged prior to 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged prior to 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged after 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, over these land classifications will not be given. Areas of encroachment onto these reserve areas are excised from the tenement at the time of grant. For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged prior to 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, over these land classifications will not be given. Areas of encroachment onto these reserve areas are excised from the tenement at the time of grant. For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged prior to 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
For applications for exploration and mining tenements lodged prior to 10 February 2001: Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
Ministerial consent, as required under section 24 of the Mining Act 1978, is assessed according to the merits of the application. Any approval to explore or mine within these reserve areas is subject to stringent conditions to protect the environment. (2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(2) Yes. (3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(3) No. (4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(4) The policy is enforced under the reserved land provisions of the current legislation. (5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(5) Yes. (6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
(6) Since February 2001 seventy-four (74) exploration licence applications, which pre-date 10 February 2001, have been granted with various degrees of encroachment onto 37 nature reserves and 2 National Parks. In the case of the 2 National Parks affected and a number of nature reserves the encroachments, which are minor, arise as a consequence of exploration licences being applied for under the graticular block system. Consent to explore on the 2 exploration licences affecting the National Parks has not been given. An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
An exploration licence applied for in October 2001 in the Norseman area was inadvertently granted in October 2002 by an officer with delegated authority. Whilst the grant was made subject to a condition prohibiting exploration on Conservation of Flora and Fauna Reserve 36957, it should have been subject to a condition excising the area encroaching onto the reserve.
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