MINING INDUSTRY

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (14:30): Can the Minister for Mineral Resources Development advise the house of the changes to the Mining Act and regulations that are about to come into force?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Correctional Services) (14:30): I thank the honourable member for his question, and, yes, I can inform the house. As you may be aware, the amendments to the Mining Act 1971 and the new Mining Regulations 2011 are due to commence on 1 July and will deliver greater transparency and clarity for everyone involved in the mining industry—even the Leader of the Opposition.

The changes to the act and regulations enhance various tenement approvals and regulatory compliance provisions administered under the Mining Act, ensuring South Australia's legislative framework adopts best practice principles. The act and regulations, coupled with government policies and guidelines, guarantee that landowners and the community will be well informed through more effective and transparent government and industry processes.

These are very important reforms that create a number of initiatives designed to help the mining and agricultural industries work together. Firstly, these reforms introduce a minimum standard of information that a tenement holder must disclose on a notice of entry served upon the landowner.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The changes will also establish the requirement for the holder of a mining tenement to submit a compliance report in relation to the activities undertaken on the tenement and compliance with conditions of the tenement and compliance with the act. Further, it creates the power for the minister to request a tenement holder or applicant to provide information to assess or verify the capabilities of the holder/applicant to be able to comply with the requirements of the act.

There will now be a discretionary power to accept mineral claims greater than the maximum size of 250 hectares. Several of the state's larger mining operations have required over 50 mineral claims be pegged to cover the mine project area, and streamlining this process will save not only money but also time. The mining registrar will have discretionary power to allow for the pegging of mineral claims in some other manner, which will reduce costs to the industry by time spent pegging and maintaining the pegs.

The new notice of entry requirements may appear to increase the burden on industry. However, the majority of mining operators already comply with the proposed amendments.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: She's an expert on mining as well.

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order, deputy leader.

Mr WILLIAMS: I am sure this is interesting information, but I am struggling to understand why a member of the house would ask the minister to explain changes which have already gone through the house as amendments to the act.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: We debated this legislation only recently.

The SPEAKER: Order! Sit down. The minister is answering the question in the manner that he chooses. At this stage I do not see a problem. Minister.

Mr Williams: What is the point of the question?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: To educate, to inform.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: To educate and inform.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: One day we are spending too much time on mining, the next day not enough time on mining.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Explorers are at high risk—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You did a great job, did you?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Explorers are at high risk of being taken to the appropriate court if they do not fully inform and negotiate with landowners regarding entry to land. Given the majority of landowners affected are represented by members opposite—other than the honourable Speaker—I would have thought they have a great interest in making sure that they are well informed of what is going on. In line with this, the compensation—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —provisions for landowners have been enhanced. Landowners can now claim up to $500 for legal assistance relating to exempt land. Further, the general compensation provisions under the act now give landowners—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —so, I can assume that in the future the deputy leader will not be asking any questions about any policy passed by this house—the right to claim for reasonable costs incurred in connection with any negotiation or dispute relating to access to their land by a mining operator. This government has listened to the legitimate concerns of landowners—

The Hon. J.M. Rankine: She would have. She would have spoken. She hasn't stopped.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: No, there is only one way to stop her from speaking.

The Hon. J.M. Rankine: Ask her about the leadership.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Many men have tried. This government has listened to the legitimate concerns of landowners, the mineral industry and the community and has implemented reform to assist in the mining industry working with the rest of the community for the best outcome for all South Australians. South Australia is already recognised as arguably the world's best mining jurisdiction due to the outstanding work of this government and PIRSA. These reforms add to our—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —already outstanding record and will see South Australia maintain its climate of certainty within the mining industry, which is benefiting all South Australians.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I would point out to members that if no member was allowed to ask any question about anything we did not know in this place, nothing would ever get asked. The two previous questions from the opposition were covered in the first answer, in fact, in the statement before question time.