Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup introduces new system to inform community of mining tenements

The Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup wants to ensure affected community members receive news of local mining tenements with a new online notification system. An elector motion moved by former deputy Shire president Lisa Glover at the recent annual general meeting in March drove the Shire to invest time in researching mining tenement notification systems to notify effected landowners in a timely manner. After undertaking a review of surrounding local governments, Shire officers determined that while a physical mail-out notification system to residents would prove too costly in terms of finance and resourcing, electronic notifications through the website would be viable. A page on the Shire website has, therefore, been created relating to mining tenements, including a fillable field for the community to add their email address to the formal mailing list for direct notification when a copy of a mining tenement application is received and links to relevant information on the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website. At an irdinary council Meeting on May 24, Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup commissioner Gail McGowan said the Shire was committed to meeting the community’s request for a notification system, however, stood firm on the fact that mining tenement application notifications were largely the responsibility of the administering authority, DMIRS. “We want to actually provide support in terms of a native cache but not create an impost on the staff which is just not something we should be bearing when the problem lies somewhere else,” she said. “I suppose I’ve been really firm on that one as well.” The Shire has also committed to liaise with the community regarding the position of mining tenements and general operations within the region as part of the current local planning framework review, and will have chief executive Benjamin Rose advocate via the South West Zone of WALGA for overall improved DMIRS processes of notification requirements for mining tenement applications. Shire officers have raised the issue of mining tenements with the CEOs of the South West Zone of WALGA and will be presenting a copy of this report more formally on an upcoming zone meeting agenda. The processing and approval of mining tenements in WA is the responsibility of the DMIRS and administered under the Mining Act 1978.