G
Guest
Here is my letter to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Greenie Ryan Smith.
Dear Mr. Smith,
I would like to object to the Governments response to the VEAC Prospecting investigation. In the response it says that sluices and motorised equipment are not allowed in the 8 areas to be opened for prospecting.
What I am concerned about is the decision to ban sluices and motorised equipment in all National Parks where there use is currently allowed.
I would challenge this decision based on the Terms of Reference for this VEAC investigation, and the incorrect information viewed by people watching the ABC program. I would also challenge if the VEAC people actually saw a gold sluice in operation. If so, where and whom did they observe?
I raise the following points;
1) VEAC acted outside the terms of reference for the Prospecting Investigation and thus the process is invalid and I would think illegal.
2) Nowhere in the terms of reference does it state that there would be a review of what is currently allowed in other parks.
3) Nowhere in the terms of reference does it state that there could be further restrictions and limitations put on the use of sluices and powered equipment currently allowed in other National Parks.
4) As there was no statement advising that in fact the two above mentioned points would be a critical part of the process there has been no opportunity to address those issues in the consultation and submission process.
5) The ABC program which was aired to show some of the types of prospecting equipment, highlighted damage supposedly done to the creek in the Woolshed Valley, near Beechworth. The damage shown dated back to the 1850s and was not done by modern prospectors.
6) If VEAC has recommended that sluices and motorised equipment not be allowed then there should have been a full inquiry into the use of this equipment as was done way back in 1990 for the use of Eductor Dredges.
7) I would challenge the work ethic of DPI staff in the Benalla office who when given information by a number of people about illegal dredging activity, failed to investigate properly, failed to prosecute the offenders, and in fact did virtually nothing. The illegals were spoken to by Parks Vic staff and fined a trivial amount for not having a Miners Right. They openly said that they would continue because the fine is far less than the gold they were getting. What in fact should have happened was forfeiture of equipment and heavy fines which DPI Benalla failed to do. These illegals still operate today and nothing is done about it. If they couldnt manage to fine one illegal group how can they manage the Park under the new restrictions.
8) DPI staff are incapable of carrying out their duty in regards to the enforcement of rules of the Mineral Resources Sustainable Development Act as are Parks Victoria Staff due to staffing shortages.
9) If these restriction are in fact made law, then is the Government going to offer a buyback scheme for all the equipment that is now unuseable?
10) Is the Government going to compensate businesses in Beechworth, Chiltern and Eldorado for the loss of income due to the lack of visitation to the Chiltern Mt.Pilot National Park?
In summary, what I would ask is that the Minister suspends any such restriction on the use of sluices and powered equipment pending a full and proper investigation into their use and any subsequent environmental damage.
I will happily give my time to show VEAC and other Government staff what types of sluices are available, how they work, and how they are legally to be used.
Then and only then can an informed decision be made on the use of this equipment on the goldfields of Victoria.
Yours Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxx
Feel free to cut and paste this and send it to the Minister yourself.
Dear Mr. Smith,
I would like to object to the Governments response to the VEAC Prospecting investigation. In the response it says that sluices and motorised equipment are not allowed in the 8 areas to be opened for prospecting.
What I am concerned about is the decision to ban sluices and motorised equipment in all National Parks where there use is currently allowed.
I would challenge this decision based on the Terms of Reference for this VEAC investigation, and the incorrect information viewed by people watching the ABC program. I would also challenge if the VEAC people actually saw a gold sluice in operation. If so, where and whom did they observe?
I raise the following points;
1) VEAC acted outside the terms of reference for the Prospecting Investigation and thus the process is invalid and I would think illegal.
2) Nowhere in the terms of reference does it state that there would be a review of what is currently allowed in other parks.
3) Nowhere in the terms of reference does it state that there could be further restrictions and limitations put on the use of sluices and powered equipment currently allowed in other National Parks.
4) As there was no statement advising that in fact the two above mentioned points would be a critical part of the process there has been no opportunity to address those issues in the consultation and submission process.
5) The ABC program which was aired to show some of the types of prospecting equipment, highlighted damage supposedly done to the creek in the Woolshed Valley, near Beechworth. The damage shown dated back to the 1850s and was not done by modern prospectors.
6) If VEAC has recommended that sluices and motorised equipment not be allowed then there should have been a full inquiry into the use of this equipment as was done way back in 1990 for the use of Eductor Dredges.
7) I would challenge the work ethic of DPI staff in the Benalla office who when given information by a number of people about illegal dredging activity, failed to investigate properly, failed to prosecute the offenders, and in fact did virtually nothing. The illegals were spoken to by Parks Vic staff and fined a trivial amount for not having a Miners Right. They openly said that they would continue because the fine is far less than the gold they were getting. What in fact should have happened was forfeiture of equipment and heavy fines which DPI Benalla failed to do. These illegals still operate today and nothing is done about it. If they couldnt manage to fine one illegal group how can they manage the Park under the new restrictions.
8) DPI staff are incapable of carrying out their duty in regards to the enforcement of rules of the Mineral Resources Sustainable Development Act as are Parks Victoria Staff due to staffing shortages.
9) If these restriction are in fact made law, then is the Government going to offer a buyback scheme for all the equipment that is now unuseable?
10) Is the Government going to compensate businesses in Beechworth, Chiltern and Eldorado for the loss of income due to the lack of visitation to the Chiltern Mt.Pilot National Park?
In summary, what I would ask is that the Minister suspends any such restriction on the use of sluices and powered equipment pending a full and proper investigation into their use and any subsequent environmental damage.
I will happily give my time to show VEAC and other Government staff what types of sluices are available, how they work, and how they are legally to be used.
Then and only then can an informed decision be made on the use of this equipment on the goldfields of Victoria.
Yours Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxx
Feel free to cut and paste this and send it to the Minister yourself.
.... casper
