Queensland government signs indigenous land agreements

Queensland government signs indigenous land agreements

MiningNews Net

December 23, 2003

The Queensland government has signed six new indigenous land use agreements (ILUA) with native title groups, a move the Beattie government believes will open the door to more mining exploration in North Queensland. Mines minister Stephen Robertson said that the six ILUAs would allow more than 130 mining and exploration permits to be granted in the state's north.

"This means the government can expedite the processing of mineral exploration permit applications as well as give mining companies the certainty they need to get on with the job," he said.

The new ILUAs include four developed under the state government's Queensland model including the Gugu Badhun, Waanyi, Kangoulu, and Kangoulu #2 agreements.

"These four ILUAs will allow 34 whole exploration permits to be granted, along with parts of eight others, in areas west of Townsville, near Blackwater and in the Gulf of Carpentaria," Robertson said.

"In addition, the Western Yalanji and Tagalaka ILUAs, covering areas around the Palmer River northwest of Mareeba and around Croydon respectively, will allow the grant of around 100 small-scale mining and exploration permits, as well as future tenements over the next five years."

The Western Yalanji and Tagalaka ILUAs were developed under the special small-scale mining project, commenced in 1998 to implement ILUAs enabling the grant of current and future small-scale mining and exploration tenements in Queensland.

Once the ILUAs have been lodged and registered with the National Native Title Tribunal, applicants for backlog exploration permits can opt into the ILUA by signing a deed.

This takes the number of ILUAs signed in Queensland to 62, representing 57% of all finalised ILUAs in