Title Act 1999). Most native title land being in arid and semi-arid environments
means that it is ecologically fragile. This land requires the application of long-term
soil conservation measures to maintain its productivity and ecological stability,
including fire control, positioning of stock watering facilities, pasture improvement
and native conservation management.
5.4.3 Bushfire Control
Wildfire in Australia is a frequent event and a significant causal agent of soil erosion,
loss of soil fertility, loss of important vegetation species and associations, and
ultimately land degradation. All states have legislative provisions relating to the
use and management of fire. e.g. Western Australia Bush Fires Act 1954 and the
New South Wales Rural Fires Act 1997.
The role of these laws is to provide for the prevention, mitigation and suppression
of bushfires in local government areas and other parts of the state constituted as rural
fire districts. They also provide for coordination of bushfire control activities and
bushfire prevention measures. The more recent bushfire control laws provide for the
protection of the environment by requiring that certain bushfire control activities,
e.g. hazard reduction burning, are carried with regard to the principles of ecologically sustainable development, and in this regard, they benefit soil conservation
objectives.
5.4.4 Mining
Various forms of mining activity lead to degradation of soils. All states have laws
that control mining and extractive industries e.g.
• South Australia Mining Act 1971.
• Western Australia Mining Act 1978.
• Queensland Mineral Resources Act 1989.
• Victoria Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990.
• New South Wales Mining Act 1992.
• Tasmania Mineral Resources Development Act 1995.
• Northern Territory Mining Management Act 2001.
This area of law facilitates prospecting and exploring for mining of minerals
while enhancing the knowledge of mineral resources and minimising land use
conflict. It encourages environmental responsibility in mining activities and provides
a framework to expedite and regulate mining with a land management responsibility.
Under Australian law, most mining activities require approval under environmental
protection laws, including the requirement to prepare an environmental impact
208
I. Hannam
means that it is ecologically fragile. This land requires the application of long-term
soil conservation measures to maintain its productivity and ecological stability,
including fire control, positioning of stock watering facilities, pasture improvement
and native conservation management.
5.4.3 Bushfire Control
Wildfire in Australia is a frequent event and a significant causal agent of soil erosion,
loss of soil fertility, loss of important vegetation species and associations, and
ultimately land degradation. All states have legislative provisions relating to the
use and management of fire. e.g. Western Australia Bush Fires Act 1954 and the
New South Wales Rural Fires Act 1997.
The role of these laws is to provide for the prevention, mitigation and suppression
of bushfires in local government areas and other parts of the state constituted as rural
fire districts. They also provide for coordination of bushfire control activities and
bushfire prevention measures. The more recent bushfire control laws provide for the
protection of the environment by requiring that certain bushfire control activities,
e.g. hazard reduction burning, are carried with regard to the principles of ecologically sustainable development, and in this regard, they benefit soil conservation
objectives.
5.4.4 Mining
Various forms of mining activity lead to degradation of soils. All states have laws
that control mining and extractive industries e.g.
• South Australia Mining Act 1971.
• Western Australia Mining Act 1978.
• Queensland Mineral Resources Act 1989.
• Victoria Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990.
• New South Wales Mining Act 1992.
• Tasmania Mineral Resources Development Act 1995.
• Northern Territory Mining Management Act 2001.
This area of law facilitates prospecting and exploring for mining of minerals
while enhancing the knowledge of mineral resources and minimising land use
conflict. It encourages environmental responsibility in mining activities and provides
a framework to expedite and regulate mining with a land management responsibility.
Under Australian law, most mining activities require approval under environmental
protection laws, including the requirement to prepare an environmental impact
208
I. Hannam