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Miscellaneous licences are typically used, alongside underlying mining or exploration tenure, to facilitate infrastructure such as roads, aerodromes, pipelines and staff accommodation needed to support mining activities.

While land held under miscellaneous licences has long been understood to not be rateable under the Local Government Act 1995, the Supreme Court of Western Australia has recently ruled local governments can levy rates on land held under these licences, potentially creating millions of dollars in additional costs for mining and exploration companies throughout regional WA.

As a result, the State Government will move swiftly to amend the Act by clarifying that land held under these licences is exempt from local government rates.

These amendments will restore a long-understood precedent, reflect the State's longstanding intent and provide certainty to local governments and resources companies, protecting jobs throughout regional WA.