Should there be a requirement for a prospecting ticket?

[nucopia]

Its your comprehension skills that are lacking , I stated,
"I think everyone with a Prospectors Licence should have to have a in date PLB or EPIRB."
I said nothing about a course.
And I think the above should be enforced, most probably would have saved two lives last week and many others over the previous years.

Aries
I was addressing the question asked by AmberBC
" Should there be a requirement for a prospecting ticket, similar to a skippers ticket? "
My Answer to that Question is and still remains.. More regulations and beaurocracy , no thanks.

 

[Moneybox]

I think we're singling out prospectors. There have been other fatalities out there. Sometimes they are pastoralists, sometimes miners and some are tourists. It's just a case of anybody travelling into the baron outback is at risk of perishing for any number of reasons. Some get bogged, some get lost, some get bitten by a native Australian or other medical issue. Many don't understand the risks because they've grown up in the city, the others become complacent because they feel safe. It's a risk we take and the best we can do is make people aware of the risks and ways to reduce them.

 

[Aries]

Yes I will accept that but you still haven't answered my question of what rules and regulations are you refering too?
Amateur prospecting is one of the least regulated activities around.
Even when you go the step up and actually own a prospecting lease or SPL it is very unregulated, Virtually 2 forms a year Expediture and MRF unless you failed grade five they take about 30 minutes.

So what regulations are bugging you?

 

[Aries]

I think we're singling out prospectors. There have been other fatalities out there. Sometimes they are pastoralists, sometimes miners and some are tourists. It's just a case of anybody travelling into the baron outback is at risk of perishing for any number of reasons. Some get bogged, some get lost, some get bitten by a native Australian or other medical issue. Many don't understand the risks because they've grown up in the city, the others become complacent because they feel safe. It's a risk we take and the best we can do is make people aware of the risks and ways to reduce them.

Phil any pastoralist that sent a worker out into the boondocks nowadays without appropriate safety equipment would be penalised by WorkSafe ( there was a case a few years back). I think Prospectors should be the same and I reckon it should apply to birdwatchers, wildflower gazers and anybody else as well if they go of the main roads.

 

[Hippyty79]

There was a pastoralist last year in sandstone I think that got lost on his own lease.

 

[Moneybox]

Phil any pastoralist that sent a worker out into the boondocks nowadays without appropriate safety equipment would be penalised by WorkSafe ( there was a case a few years back). I think Prospectors should be the same and I reckon it should apply to birdwatchers, wildflower gazers and anybody else as well if they go of the main roads.

Yes that's the point. Don't just regulate prospectors when anybody out there is at risk. Education would surely be more effective.

 

[Aries]

Yes that's the point. Don't just regulate prospectors when anybody out there is at risk. Education would surely be more effective.

Education has not worked so far, DMIRS flyers and APLA course galore on having the right gear fall on deaf ears.
One thing that I have learnt is that a lot of people are stupid and think " I am a bushy" and PLBs are for city folk.
Regulation even if it halved the death rate would be worth it.
I for the life of me cannot see why a piece of equipment worth less than a good dinner and wine for two can not be made compulsory.
As I said it should apply to all on remote roads but prospectors as you know have made up the bulk of the deaths in the last few years.

 

[Dave's Office]

It's compulsory to carry certain safty equipment on a boat, that equipment is minimal on inshore waters and increases to things like epirb and marine radio if you on offshore waters, but the equipment like epirbs, flares and fire extinguisher must be up to date.

 

[Hawkear]

There should be a ticket to qualify people to live in cities where they face the dangers of having there homes invaded, cars stolen, bashed up by hooligans, killed by road hoons, laid low by easily spread diseases etc. if they are not prepared to have lessons on how to survive that, people should be banished to the outback where it is a lot safer.

 

[sand surfer]

i think it all boils down to common knowledge ,and you can not educate stupidity
it is a tragedy that people do perish, but i think that most of those who have perished were themselves to blame through poor planning or misadventure

we can have a policy/rule in place that stipulates that you must have a registered plb to have a miners licence
but you can not control the use of it ,once they leave the building of issue their on their own
whether they bother to use it or not

i don't think that taking a miners licence off them for not having a plb with them would work either
they would just go out there with out a licence and fossick and prospect anyway
the thought of being caught or fined will not worry them

how many people break the rules a year regarding permissions in any state (lease or private property) they just go where they please and up yours if you are the owner

there is a element out there that just don't give 2 f%*&ks about the rules and regulations

so it all boils down to you
you are responsible for your own safety

 

[davsgold]

i think it all boils down to common knowledge ,and you can not educate stupidity
it is a tragedy that people do perish, but i think that most of those who have perished were themselves to blame through poor planning or misadventure

we can have a policy/rule in place that stipulates that you must have a registered plb to have a miners licence
but you can not control the use of it ,once they leave the building of issue their on their own
whether they bother to use it or not

i don't think that taking a miners licence off them for not having a plb with them would work either
they would just go out there with out a licence and fossick and prospect anyway
the thought of being caught or fined will not worry them

how many people break the rules a year regarding permissions in any state (lease or private property) they just go where they please and up yours if you are the owner

there is a element out there that just don't give 2 f%*&ks about the rules and regulations

so it all boils down to you
you are responsible for your own safety

100% correct mate, that's what I've been saying also

 

[Aries]

i think it all boils down to common knowledge ,and you can not educate stupidity
it is a tragedy that people do perish, but i think that most of those who have perished were themselves to blame through poor planning or misadventure

we can have a policy/rule in place that stipulates that you must have a registered plb to have a miners licence
but you can not control the use of it ,once they leave the building of issue their on their own
whether they bother to use it or not

i don't think that taking a miners licence off them for not having a plb with them would work either
they would just go out there with out a licence and fossick and prospect anyway
the thought of being caught or fined will not worry them

how many people break the rules a year regarding permissions in any state (lease or private property) they just go where they please and up yours if you are the owner

there is a element out there that just don't give 2 f%*&ks about the rules and regulations

so it all boils down to you
you are responsible for your own safety

Sand surfer,
I also agree but not 100%, I believe that fines or some financial deterrent would quickly change peoples habits. For an example I would give the use of seatbelts, when I was young (and I suspect the same with most of you) seatbelts were not compulsory and we would frequently do the drive from Kalgoorlie to Perth as a family without one of us having a seatbelt on. When they were made compulsory I remember a lot of objections and people saying "I will never wear one". Well after a few years of increasing fines everyone wears one now, even the hoons.
I say fine everyone caught outback without a PLB or EPIRB $500 or $1000 and pretty soon you would not see anyone without one.
Pretty sad that you would have to fine people to act in a sensible manner but that's human nature.

 

[nucopia]

Great idea Aries but who is going to go out to remote areas of WA and enforce your proposed new regulation.. I hope its some one with impeccable abilities to locate people in remote places .. you know someone that can find people when the SES and other searchers cant ..

 

[PaulBrown]

The remote nature of prospecting makes it inheriently risky, even when with a friend or group. Should there be a requirement for a prospecting ticket, similar to a skippers ticket?

It would be free and you could apply for online, it would be a one off. To get the ticket you would have to complete some online training about the legislation and safety requirements, there would be a requirement for safety equipment such as a Personal Locator Beacon or satellite device with an emergency message / SOS option. On completion of the course / ticket you could get a discount for one of these devices or be able to have some of the costs refunded. Property owners and police could ask to see your ticket, and there may be a fine if you are prospecting and don't have one.

I am from WA and hear of horror stories of prospectors new and experienced taking only a mobile phone for their communication and directions and not bringing enough water for an emergency. It is tragic when prospectors go missing, and it uses paid and volunteer emergency services time and energy and deaths from people being unprepared are preventable.

more bureaucracy?... please, no!

 

[Aries]

more bureaucracy?... please, no!

Another one with a tin foil hat, again I ask what piece of bureaucracy related to prospecting offends you?
Is it the once in a lifetime miners right or is it that you are not allowed on other peoples legal lease areas?
You all complain about regulations and bureaucracy but in reality Amateur prospecting is mainly unregulated.
Come on and give me an example of excessive regulation relating to Amateur prospecting.

 

[davsgold]

more bureaucracy?... please, no!

Another one with a tin foil hat, again I ask what piece of bureaucracy related to prospecting offends you?
Is it the once in a lifetime miners right or is it that you are not allowed on other peoples legal lease areas?
You all complain about regulations and bureaucracy but in reality Amateur prospecting is mainly unregulated.
Come on and give me an example of excessive regulation relating to Amateur prospecting.

your out of control mate, you would think by now that when no one agrees with your idea it a BAD idea, have a nice day

 

[Aries]

your out of control mate, you would think by now that when no one agrees with your idea it a BAD idea, have a nice day

Its not about wether they agree with me or not, ALL complain about excessive regulation but not one of you has the guts to actually say what regulation relating to amateur prospecting is excessive, to use the excuse that there is too much regulation now and not being able to give an example is **** weak.
You should all put your tin foil hats on and head to somewhere with less regulations like the Philippines