We will be seeking the minister’s support for the opal industry. Government needs to decide whether they want an opal industry and if so we need to negotiate a more practical environmental regime where the industry can undertake the necessary studies and assessments on a collective basis rather than the individual miner being required to submit individual reports.

We will also be asking the minister to cut the red tape and allow the industry to rehabilitate areas where mining has diminished to bring those areas that were under title up to the current standards and rehabilitate the off-title impacts. There is well over a quarter of a million dollars available that has been paid into the environmental fund by opal miners. Rehabilitation works were being scoped and completed in a timely manner up to about a year ago then things became bogged down mainly trying to sort out forfeited bonds. Three new works have finally been released after 13 months.

We will report on our progress with the minister over the next week or two.

NEW MEMBERS

Now is the time to renew your LRMA membership $55 each ($27.50 for aged pensioners) or you can become an associate member with limited rights for $20.

Our membership has grown substantially over the past 12 months increasing from 485 in June 2009 to about 571 in June 2010. It is fantastic to see so many people supporting the opal industry and their representatives and as you can see by the number of new applications our membership is continuing to grow.

The following have applied for membership of the LRMA. If any member has an objection to any of the membership applications please contact the LRMA office and your objection will be treated with the strictest of confidence.