A CASE now before the Land and Environment Court could have serious ramifications for future land access management, says NSW Farmers.
The organisation has expressed its support for a number of farmers who are parties in Land and Environment Court proceedings this week in Lightning Ridge.
The landholders are NSW Farmers’ members and are appearing as defendants in a matter brought by the Lightning Ridge Miners Association, which is seeking a determination on opal mining access rules across a number of properties in the Lightning Ridge area.
NSW Farmers chief executive officer Matt Brand said he hoped the action would lead to greater clarity around the development of land access rules in the area.
“This is an important case for farmers in NSW because it could set a precedent for the development of access management plans in the area,” Mr Brand said.
“What concerns us is our landholders and the Lightning Ridge Miners Association are in court because of the failure of the NSW Department of Resources and Energy to determine the rules of access under the Act which by law it is able to do."
Mr Brand said the government has shifted the cost burden of administration of justice onto farmers who are “already doing it very tough due to ongoing drought conditions”.
“This is a totally unacceptable situation and the government needs to take corrective action to ensure this situation does not arise again,” he said.
“The government also needs to take more seriously the significant deficiencies in the way the opal industry is regulated in NSW.
“NSW Farmers will continue to advocate for the protection of landholders’ interests in Lightning Ridge, particularly in relation to compliance, enforcement, compensation and public liability issues.”
The proceedings are being supported by the Australian Farmers Fighting Fund.
