Submission from Prospectors & Miners Association of Victoria IncMRSDA Review Stage 2
Sent via Email on: 23/06/2011 10:22 AM
Dear Danny and Antony,
The PMAV has been further considering the issue of access to national and state parks for Miners Right holders and believes that the current Review is an ideal place to achieve a
removal of the blanket prohibition without compromising park environmental protection options.Section 6 of the MRSDA prohibits prospecting in parks unless authority is given under Section 32D of the National Parks Act.
We are therefore seeking an amendment to S6 of the MRSDA to remove this prohibition with a subsequent amendment to the NPA to
permit prospecting in all parks, subject to management planning processes.http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/whats-new/review-of-the-mineral-resources-sustainable-development-act-1990/submissions/prospectors-and-miners-association-of-victoriadoug
I hope that the PMAV is successful is allowing us to be able to detect in at least some parks where this activity is now prohibited.Some of our historically richest goldfields (and some with very nuggety gold)eg the Wychitella area of the Wedderburn Goldfield. The facts are that responsible detecting/fossicking activity is
NOT a major threatening process in our parks.Detectorist and fossickers are just being targeted so that it appears to the general population that the biodiversity of these areas is being protected.Nothing could be further from the truth because the land management authorities do not have the
resources or the skills to manage or control the
MAJOR threatening processes like invasive species etc! Our parks are
paper parks and are just a PR con job in my opinion! Our land managers need to adopt and implement
adaptive land management practices.
doug
Author
