The Legislative Council’s Legislation Committee yesterday handed down 26 findings and 18 recommendations following submissions and public hearings held in Perth and Kalgoorlie in April to examine the Bill.
But CME chief executive Reg Howard-Smith warned the adoption of all the recommendations would have negative consequences for the resources sector.
“Addressing the Committee’s long list of recommendations will delay the removal of unnecessary red tape and streamlining of environmental approvals which was the original intent of the Bill,” Mr Howard-Smith said.
This includes a recommendation for the definition of low-impact activities to be incorporated as a schedule to the Mining Act and compulsory aspects of ‘guidelines’ to be addressed as requirements in the Act itself or in regulations.
“This more prescriptive approach may lead to inefficiencies in the future application of the legislation and introduce further red tape for industry,” Mr Howard-Smith said.
Importantly, the Committee did not recommend the Bill should not proceed as purported by many prospectors at the Committee hearings.
Prospectors around the Goldfields had argued the legislation was fatally flawed and discriminated against prospectors and small-miners.
“Resource companies are currently grappling with volatile global market dynamics, increasing input costs and other complex policy and regulatory settings," Mr Howard-Smith said.
“Any amendments to the Bill should be quickly prioritised to allow for swift passage through Parliament in the second half of 2016.”
