Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd (Alternative Application Period) Bill 2026

What this law does (simple):

This short, temporary Tasmanian Act gives Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd special, one-off timing rules for renewing four named mining leases (see section 3 for the exact lease numbers).
Normally the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 (the MRDA) sets when a lessee must apply for renewal and how the renewed lease term is timed. This Act overrides two MRDA rules for those four leases only:
- Section 4 lets Grange apply for renewal “at any time before that lease ceases to be in force” (overriding MRDA s.96(1)). In other words, Grange may make a renewal application up to the day the lease expires.
- Section 5 says that if such a late application is granted, the renewed lease term begins on the day the Minister grants the renewal (overriding MRDA s.98(2) and affecting the operation of s.98(1)). That means the renewed term is not back-dated or otherwise adjusted; it starts when the Minister signs off.
All other parts of the MRDA still apply to these leases (section 6). The Act is to be administered by the Minister for Business, Industry and Resources and the Department of State Growth until administrative arrangements change (section 7). The Act automatically repeals on 7 August 2031 (section 8).

Who this affects:

Directly: Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd and the holders of the four specific lease numbers listed in section 3.
Indirectly: the Tasmanian Government agencies that process mining lease renewals, and any third parties who might participate in or be affected by renewal processes for those leases (for example, parties entitled to make submissions or who hold adjacent interests).

Why it matters (mechanics and likely effects):

Benefit concentrated on Grange: the company gains flexibility to file a renewal application very late (up to expiry) and—if granted—gets a renewal term that runs from the grant date, preserving the full renewed tenure period (s.4–s.5).
Administrative effect on government: the Minister and administering department still make the renewal decision under the MRDA, including any assessment, public notice or objections processes required by that Act (s.6). But because the application can be filed late, the practical time available for assessment and consultation may be reduced unless agencies allow more processing time before expiry.
Effects on third parties and certainty: because the law lets the lessee wait until close to expiry to apply, third parties may face compressed timeframes for consultation or may see the timing of when a renewed lease actually begins shift (it will begin on grant date). Those are procedural changes rather than changes to substantive eligibility or environmental/conditions powers under the MRDA (which still apply per s.6).

Costs, incentives and trade-offs to note:

Who pays: application fees and usual compliance costs under the MRDA remain payable by the lessee; government bears routine administrative processing costs. The Act does not create an explicit new cost or subsidy.
Incentives for the lessee: reduced penalty for filing late renewals and preservation of a full renewal term starting on grant date. This lowers the operational risk to Grange from a potential gap in tenure.
Trade-offs for the regulator and third parties: shorter practical time to assess late applications and to carry out public processes if the application is lodged very near expiry. The Act does not remove MRDA powers to refuse or impose conditions on renewal; it changes timing only (s.6).
Implementation risks and compliance burden: low additional compliance burden for the lessee (it gains flexibility). Administrative risk for the department arises only if processing capacity is insufficient to complete statutory steps given later filing dates.

Bottom-line: This is a narrowly targeted, temporary statutory exception that lets Grange apply for renewal of four specific mining leases up to their expiry dates and ensures any renewed lease term starts on the day the Minister grants it. The MRDA's substantive renewal rules remain in force otherwise, so the Minister still decides whether to grant and on what conditions (s.6).

Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd (Alternative Application Period) Bill 2026

[Bill 3]-IX TASMANIA

GRANGE RESOURCES (TASMANIA) PTY LTD (ALTERNATIVE APPLICATION PERIOD) BILL 2026

CONTENTS

Short title

Commencement

Application of Act

Application for renewal of mining lease

Renewal of mining lease

Provisions of Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 to apply

Administration of Act

Repeal of Act

[Bill 3] 3 GRANGE RESOURCES (TASMANIA) PTY LTD (ALTERNATIVE APPLICATION PERIOD) BILL 2026 This Public Bill originated in the House of Assembly, and, having this day passed, is now ready for presentation to the Legislative Council for its concurrence. LAURA ROSS, Clerk of the House 25 March 2026 (Brought in by the Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, the Honourable Felix Ashton Ellis) A BILL FOR An Act to provide for an alternative period for making application for renewal in respect of certain mining leases Be it enacted by Her Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly, in Parliament assembled, as follows:

Short title This Act may be cited as the Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd (Alternative Application Period) Act 2026.

Commencement This Act commences on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd (Alternative Application Period) Act 2026 Act No. of 2026 s. 3 4 3. Application of Act (1) In this section – register means the mining register kept in accordance with section 192 of the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995. (2) This Act applies to the following mining leases held by Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd (ACN 073 634 581): (a) the lease identified on the register by the number 2M/2001; (b) the lease identified on the register by the number 11M/2008; (c) the lease identified on the register by the number 14M/2007; (d) the lease identified on the register by the number 4M/2019. 4. Application for renewal of mining lease Despite section 96(1) of the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995, the lessee in respect of a mining lease to which this Act applies may apply to the Minister for a renewal of that lease, as in force on the day on which this Act commences, at any time before that lease ceases to be in force.

Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd (Alternative Application Period) Act 2026 Act No. of 2026 s. 5 5 5. Renewal of mining lease Despite section 98(2) of the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995, if an application, made under section 4, to renew a mining lease to which this Act applies, is granted, the period referred to in section 98(1) of the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 in respect of that lease renewal commences on the day on which the application in relation to that lease is granted. 6. Provisions of Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 to apply For the avoidance of doubt, subject to sections 4 and 5, all other relevant provisions of the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 continue to apply in respect of a mining lease to which this Act applies. 7. Administration of Act Until provision is made in relation to this Act by order under section 4 of the Administrative Arrangements Act 1990 – (a) the administration of this Act is assigned to the Minister for Business, Industry and Resources; and (b) the department responsible to that Minister in relation to the administration

Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd (Alternative Application Period) Act 2026 Act No. of 2026 s. 8 6 of this Act is the Department of State Growth. 8. Repeal of Act This Act is repealed on 7 August 2031. Government Printer, Tasmania

Source text

Sourced from Tasmanian Legislation Online (legislation.tas.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.