GPSA says SA mining law changes risk long delays, land banking, and years of uncertainty
Grain Producers SA says the SA mining law changes will make life harder for farmers and easier for mining companies, with farmland now at risk of being tied up for decades.
What changed in the Mining Act
At the heart of it is one change.
Mining exploration licences used to have a firm 18 year limit. After that, they expired. Farmers got clarity and could plan for the future.
The new Bill removes that certainty. Mining companies can now apply for five year extensions, over and over, with no cap. That means an exploration company can hold rights over farmland for as long as it wants!
Why growers are worried
GPSA says this opens the door to land banking, delays long term farm investment, and pushes landholder rights even further down the line.
Brad Perry, Chief Executive Officer of Grain Producers SA (GPSA), says growers have been calling for balance that protects farmland, not erodes it.
“If exploration tenure is extended as proposed by the State Government, this will be an extremely disappointing outcome for South Australian grain producers, who already face significant challenges when it comes to land access and use,” Mr Perry said.
He says the current rules already gave companies plenty of time, and removing the expiry date will leave farmers stuck in uncertainty.
“The current 18-year limit already provides ample opportunity for credible exploration activity,” Mr Perry said.
GPSA argues that once you allow rolling extensions, the clock never runs out, and families are left waiting for decisions about their land that may never come.
Mr Perry says the rushed timing added to growers’ frustration.
“These reforms have been rushed through at a time when growers are on the header, with little chance for meaningful consultation,” he said.
What growers wanted fixed
GPSA says several practical recommendations were ignored, including a longer notice period for land access, a mediation option to help resolve disputes, and updating outdated legal cost caps that leave landholders out of pocket.
The peak body says the changes shift the balance too far toward mining companies and leave farms exposed.
“South Australia’s future depends on both strong agriculture and strong mining, but that balance must start with respect for the rights of those who grow the food to feed our country and the world,” Mr Perry said.
