The August National Parks Journal, released this week, provides a strong case for long-overdue reform of the NSW Mining Act

National Parks Association Executive Officer, Andrew Cox, said, "The Government must move with the times and initiate reform of the Mining Act. It has already done this for other natural resource legislation such as the Water Act and laws managing vegetation and threatened species."

"The Department of Mineral Resources Director-General confirmed to a Parliamentary Estimates Committee in June that his department has already begun an internal environmental review of the Mining Act."

"However, it is unlikely to lead to significant mining law reform."

"We don't even know if the public will be involved in the internal review or what the terms of reference are", said Mr Cox.

"The evidence assembled in the National Parks Journal demonstrates that NSW mining legislation is out of touch with contemporary environmental awareness and environmental practice followed by other industry sectors."

"For too long there has been one rule for mining companies and another for most other developers," said Mr Cox.

The National Parks Journal shows:

The National Parks Journal is the bi-monthly publication of the National Parks Association of NSW. NPA is a non-profit NSW-wide environmental group seeking to protect natural areas.

An electronic or hard copy of the Journal can be provided.