One question inevitably arising in such an event is: how have the events of the gold rush shaped the society and place we live in now? The answers are familiar: egalitarianism, a cosmopolitan society, democracy…but one feature of our society which usually doesn’t make this list is: a tendency to exploit nature without heed for the future.
With influential observers touting a ‘new golden age’ in Victoria, it’s important to avoid repeating past mistakes: and we know that some of the less desirable practices of the gold rush have not disappeared. The Victorian Auditor General reported in 2020 that many current or recent mining and quarry sites ‘have been poorly rehabilitated or not treated at all. If not addressed, these sites also present risks to Victorians and the environment.’ The estimated cost to the taxpayer of fixing this was at the time $361 million or more.
Currently the state government is considering a proposal to increase fees payable by mining companies for rehabilitation by 234%, because ‘commissioned independent analysis in 2022 indicated that fees recovered from the resources sector do not cover the costs of regulating it.’ [A consultation on this proposal is open now on Engage Victoria. Curiously, this consultation seems to have the aim of figuring whether the proposal is good for business or not. It doesn’t ask whether the idea is good for the environment, or the public. You might want to check the consultation out here. It closes on June 23].
The question arising out of all this is: which practices in our gold rush heritage do we want to celebrate and promote, and which ones do we want to soberly assess and avoid repeating?
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
