Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) Victoria calls for fundamental and urgent reforms to Victoria’s Mining Act and regulatory framework in a new Rediscover Victoria policy priorities platform released ahead of the November state election.
MCA Victoria calls for a commitment to regional economic diversification and for mining to be recognised as a priority industry for regional development in Victoria.
James Sorahan, Executive Director, MCA Victoria said the policy priorities set out critical policies to remove impediments to minerals exploration, remove artificial challenges to turning resource discoveries into new mines, and improve environmental and community regulation without reducing standards.
“The priorities focus on making Victoria competitive with other jurisdictions competing for exploration and mining investment.
“Victoria stands on the cusp of a second mining rush if government seeks to make the most of that state’s rich resources.”
Mr Sorahan said Victoria’s regulatory regime is no longer fit for purpose with a growing mining industry that needs to supply the world with critical minerals for modern technology.
“Victoria’s clumsy exploration licence regime, long permitting timeframes, restrictive bonds regime and high tax regime lag other states and urgently need to be modernised to ensure Victoria can convert its resources into mines and regional jobs.”
Victoria’s minerals industry five priorities are:
- Strategic minerals project support to help mining projects navigate the maze of multiple and duplicative regulatory agencies and see projects through all the stages of assessment and approval
- Reform Victoria’s complex and poorly designed exploration licensing regime to give certainty to explorers and stop wasting regulator efforts on compulsory early land relinquishments
- Reform the royalty tax regime by introducing an exploration deduction to encourage investment in resource replacement and devote gold royalties to communities in regional Victoria
- Re-introduce a co-funded exploration grant program to match other states
- Support industry efforts to introduce regionally delivered mining entry level courses to provide pathways for locals into mining jobs.
