PERTH (miningweekly.com) - The Mining Amendment Bill has passed the Legislative Council in Western Australia, streamlining administrative processes and safeguarding the security of titles and licences, the state government said.

“The Mining Amendment Bill 2022 supports the government's ongoing commitment to provide greater certainty to Western Australia's mining sector,” said Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston.

“We will continue to work with industry and the community to further streamline administrative processes and improve regulatory practice in Western Austraila.”

One of the Bill's key changes is the adoption of the latest and most accurate geodetic datum, which will ensure coordinates for mining tenements are aligned with the latest standard, which is also used by Global Navigation Satellite Systems. 

These systems are critical to applications that rely on accurate satellite positioning such as in-vehicle navigation, automated mining operations and surveying.

The new laws allow an applicant to apply for a mining lease without first marking out the land if they can demonstrate they cannot access the land due to circumstances beyond their control. These situations include natural disasters or emergencies, industrial disputes or declarations of a State of Emergency.

While the land must still be marked out, this amendment to the Mining Act provides some flexibility in the application process. 

A further reform will include the ability to introduce a fee for lodging objections in the Wardens Court; this aligns with other Mining Act provisions where a fee can be charged for the lodgement of documents. Any fee that might be set in the future will be subject to industry and community consultation. 

A minor amendment to tenement contact provisions will allow information to be provided electronically, supporting the government's digital transformation and streamlining of services.

Following the passing of the Bill, consultation will now begin on developing the supporting regulations. It is expected the amendments will commence in mid to late 2023.