YORKE Peninsula Land Owners’ Group has asked for farms to be fully protected from mining activities in its submission to the state government’s Mining Act review. The group, representing about 300 locals, also wants the court process made fairer for landowners. YPLOG’s submission is 57 pages, and chief author Joy Wundersitz said the group did not have time to include all of its concerns.
“The submission is about addressing the imbalance, because the whole system is totally weighted in favour of the mining companies,” she said. “We want agricultural land protected.” The document asks for the establishment of an independent mining ombudsman and points out flaws in the Mining Act review public consultation process, which YPLOG feels was biased. “We demand further consultation,”
Mrs Wundersitz said. “Before the government tables any bill in parliament, we want to see the recommendations and have another say.”
YPLOG chairperson Stephen Lodge hopes the review will lead to a better deal for landowners.
“I’d like for the government to actually take farmers into consideration and make it more difficult for miners to get onto farming land,” Mr Lodge said. “The experiences we’ve had on YP, with all the troubles the mining exploration companies cause and the fact they waste valuable farming land, mean we would rather they stay up north out of everybody’s hair.” The group wants section S9AA, which allows miners to override farmers’ exempt land statuses via the court, removed from the Mining Act. “We want S9AA taken out – that was snuck in a while ago, seemingly just so miners could take us to court and get their own way,” Mr Lodge said. View the submission online at www. yplandowners.com.au.
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