THE Department of Primary Industries will host a community information session in Sale on the regulation of exploration and mining for minerals and onshore gas.
The information session will not be a public meeting where concerns can be discussed and debated but be held on a ‘drop in’ individual landholder consultation basis on Thursday, August 9 at All Seasons Sale, 5-41 Princes Highway, between 2pm and 7pm.
DPI’s Earth Resources Regulation executive director Doug Sceney said the session would give local residents a chance to speak directly to regulators and policy experts about the regulatory process that applies to mining and onshore gas operations in Victoria.
“The Department of Primary Industries is committed to providing communities in regional Victoria with the information they need about how exploration and mining is regulated, how the environment is protected and what landholders’ rights are,” Mr Sceney said.
“Victoria has a strong regulatory regime that has overseen the safe extraction of minerals for decades and helped ensure our State has a sustainable minerals industry that works cooperatively alongside the agriculture industry and respects the rights of landholders.
“DPI recognises there is strong community interest in finding out more about these issues and that as regulator we need to engage with local residents, landholders and other stakeholders.
“For this reason DPI and other agencies will hold a series of community information sessions in regional Victoria that will give local residents the chance to have face to face discussions with the people who regulate exploration and mining.
“Representatives of DPI, the Environment Protection Authority and rural water agencies will be on hand to explain how Victoria’s regulatory regime operates.
“I would encourage people with questions about the regulation of exploration and mining in Victoria to take this opportunity to come along and put their questions directly to regulators and experts who can give them the facts they need.”
The events will run as drop in sessions where local residents can come at a time that is convenient to them and talk directly with representatives of the agencies at a number of different booths.
For more information phone 136 186 or visit www.dpi.vic.gov.au/earth-resources
Other sessions will be held on August 1 at Leongatha, on August 16 at Wonthaggi and on August 23 at Bacchus Marsh.
