Important News Update  30/10/23

The QSMC would like to advise you of the latest round of the QRIDP saga!

The title of the Department of Resources Policy Teams latest QRIDP release “Legislative Enhancements to Mining Claims” is a flawed heading as there is nothing in these proposals which “enhances” nor actually supports small scale mining.

To the contrary, these drafted proposals are designed to impose, inhibit and impede the development of the Small Scale Mining Industry using the “Orwellian” mechanisms proposed.

There is nothing enhanced about it!

It is proposed by the Departments Policy team that the need to address non-compliance on mining claims is their key objective. The department has ignored the fact the vast majority of Small Scale miners are compliant and now they seek to denigrate the worth of your investment, by reducing the term of your tenures and/or amount of times that you are able to renew your tenure and hence, your livelihood and investment!

Additionally the department propose a raft of new “Mandatory Conditions, Offences and Penalty Infringements Notices,” which do not outline the detail on how these mechanisms would operate nor demonstrate in this proposal how they would protect the civil liberties and human rights of Small Scale Miners and their properties.

The department will endeavour to steam roll the Small Scale Industry and implement their contemptible plan and once it is in the legislation and regulation, the Department will again circumvent lawful processes and eventually roll these conditions, offences and PIN’s across the whole of the Mining sector!

As yet the Department have not released the proposed draft legislation, so its difficult to assess the full extent of these impositions of the proposed legislation.

Whilst the Department purport that extensive stakeholder engagement has been undertaken, this has not been conducted on any of the major gemfields of Anakie Sapphire fields, Yowah, Winton or Quilpie for stakeholders to discuss and provide feedback.

Only limited consultation has been afforded to the SSM representative groups consisting of a departmental designed power point demonstration briefly over the interweb with departmental construed agendas and a five minute question time at the end for all the Industry representatives to bide for a gap to have a quick question!

This is a far cry from the legitimate consultation which is touted in the Palaszczuk Governments “Guide to Better Regulation” and a process until recently overseen by The Office of Better Regulation!

None the less in an effort for Industry members to have their say the QSMC have provided an electronic submission paper for you to use to voice your concern.

We urge you to voice your opinion and respectfully use this submission form to “Have your Say” in the direction of our historic industries. We encourage you to complete your own submission as well should the contents of this paper not cater for your complete feedback.

Thank you kindly for your support and please circulate on your social media to help the awareness grow.

Kev Phillips
Secretary QOMA

The QSMC member organisations thank you for taking the time to complete this form which will be forwarded to the Department of Resources, the Parliamentary Committee, The Premier & relevant Opposition Ministers so as to ensure your submission is properly accounted for.

Please assist and "Act Now" to help "Raise the flag"!

The Future of Queensland Small Scale Mining

If small scale miners throughout the country do not take a stand and collectively act to protect our historic industries, these rights hard won by our forebears will soon be gone forever. 

Small scale mining operators will be regulated out of the mining industry, and relegated to the annals of history with little or any potential for future generations to experience and enjoy the pleasures and investment opportunities that only gem and gold mining and prospecting can afford!

Small scale miners and prospectors, be it for gold, opals or sapphires are being intentionally over-regulated by departmental staff as a means “to our end”, destroying our employment, vocations & hobbies by wilfully executing the “death by a thousand cuts”!

The decline of Gem and Gold producers will continue to diminish the regional communities which are appreciative of investment stimulus that small scale miners invest in these communities and the tourism opportunities which they can attract. 

The QSMC therefore look to our members, industry compatriots and the general public to support the Queensland Small Scale Miners so that the future for these Gold and Opal and Sapphire Industries in Queensland is assured!