Navigating the legal process of mining access agreements can be challenging for farmers, solicitor Tricia Arden says.
Ms Arden was on hand at the NSW Farmers’ Association stand at the Australian National Field Days yesterday to speak to farmers with questions about access to their land by mining companies.
Under the NSW Mining Act, an access arrangement or agreement must be negotiated before a mining company can enter someone’s land.
However, Ms Arden said it was very difficult to prevent access because minerals under the ground were owned by the Crown.
“Some people don’t understand that they only own the ground on top, they don’t own the minerals underneath. It can be referred to conciliation. But... it would be rare circumstances for it not to be allowed. Civil disobedience is the only way around it, which is what they’re doing in Moree with coal seam gas mining,” she said.
Central Western Daily
No comments:
Post a Comment