Fears that knowledge about small scale titles for opal miners being too little too late have been relieved, after an extension has been secured for Lightning Ridge locals to have their say. 

Yesterday - Wednesday 14 February - it was announced that the opportunity to make a submission for the Independent Review into small-scale titles would be extended to 19 March.

While several community meetings in Lightning Ridge have offered information on the potential impact of the impending review and support to write a submission, locals have been concerned about the little warning for the review. 

Member for Barwon Roy Butler recently rallied Minister for Mining Courtney Houssos to grant more time for submissions. 

“This extension was requested to allow all stakeholders and representative groups more time to gather information and make better submissions,” Mr Butler said. 

“This will ensure that the findings and recommendations of the independent review better inform the NSW Government of ways to improve the Act and make it better for everyone, including landholders, the mining industry and all those associated with the opal mining industry in NSW.”

Following a disruptive year for opal miners in 2023, with hundreds of claims being temporarily suspended due to an administrative error, the review is intended to ‘provide stability and certainty for stakeholders’, according to leader of the review Terry Sheahan AO.

Mr Butler echoed concerns held by the Lightning Ridge and mining community. 

“I share the community’s concerns about any changes that impact the security of people living on residential mining claims,” Mr Butler said. 

Fears around mining camps, where opal miners reside on their claims, are born from the review’s Issues Paper which notes that dwellings on clams are supposed to be temporary, rather than a permanent residential home.

“These are people’s homes; many have lived on these leases for a very long time. In the current climate with cost of living and housing shortages, anything that reduces the availability of homes doesn’t make sense.”

Residents have also raised the issue that the local community couldn’t fulfill the housing demand if those living on their claim were forced to live elsewhere.

The final report is expected to be tabled in June 2024.