James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Responsibility for abandoned mines and for ensuring that mining companies comply with their rehabilitation obligations rests primarily with state and territory governments. The only exception is uranium mines in the Northern Territory, which are the responsibility of the Australian government. All state and territory governments have systems in place to ensure miners fulfil their rehabilitation requirements before relinquishing mining leases through a system of bonds or bank guarantees, or a pooled fund, or a combination of the two. The current inquiry provides certainty for all stakeholders. The extended reference to include industrial waste would involve different stakeholders to those who provided submissions to the current inquiry and puts at risk the current reporting date, which has already been extended three times.