Tuesday, 16 June
A flat assessment fee of almost $7000 could be applicable to individual gold miners and small prospectors if proposed mining amendment regulations, planned for the new financial year, are introduced by the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP).
Greens spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC said he would move to disallow the regulations, which also include a new lodgement of 'Programme of Work' (POW) fee of almost $600, if they are introduced to Parliament.
"I'm not sure this government quite realise the crippling effect these new regulations will have on the mining industry in Western Australia, given they are only being introduced to raise a measly $1.35 million" he said.
"I will personally make it my mission to make sure these outrageous new fees are not applied to small miners and individual prospectors scraping to make a living across the Goldfields region.
"The top end of town, your big gold miners such as KCGM and others, will not even blink at a fee such as this but to an individual prospector this kind of money could very easily spell the end of an operation.
"Why not increase basic tenement costs, or decrease the Exploration and Drilling incentive subsidy? Introducing flat fees such as these are an irresponsible and unfair solution to a problem of the government's own making.
"Small prospectors are the backbone of the mining industry often relied upon by larger miners to find the mines of tomorrow; history shows that 89% of larger operations have been found by small prospectors.
“Take them out of the picture and the entire industry right up to the top end of town is going to suffer, not to mention all the businesses that currently rely on the full time miner and prospector spending money in the local area."
For comment please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255.
Media liaison: Tim Oliver // 0431 9696 25
