Approvals unit head dismisses claims ODAC only works with big end of town

The Office of Development Approvals Coordination is quietly but effectively helping dozens of Western Australian mining projects clear their way through the regulatory maze, according to its inaugural head.

Brendan Hammond was handpicked by the state government two years ago to run ODAC, which was created as part of a wider package of reforms to mining project approvals.

Critics in the mining industry dismiss ODAC as just another bureaucracy, and Mr Hammond is also criticised for only working with chief executives at the big end of town.

At first glance, ODAC’s web site seems to confirm that impression; it states that ODAC is coordinating approvals for just seven big projects.

The reality is different, however, with ODAC working on numerous projects at different levels of engagement.

“ODAC deals with complaints from many tiny projects, including those not even in the approvals process,” Mr Hammond said.

“We render an awful lot of assistance to small projects that are trying to get themselves up and running or small projects that get themselves into trouble.”

He believes critics of ODAC have failed to investigate its role or how it works.

“I am not aware of anybody who actually talks to us who grizzles.”

Mr Hammond emphasises that ODAC, which has just seven staff, does not duplicate any of the functions of other agencies.

“Our job is to liaise with them, to help them do their job better. At no stage do we cross over to perform any part of their role.”

A key part of ODAC’s role is to measure the performance of government agencies, such as the Department of Environment, the Department of Industry & Resources and the Environmental Protection Authority, which have to meet defined timelines.

Mr Hammond believes the hard statistics provide a telling counter to the armchair critics.

“Agency compliance in terms of timelines has improved across the board,” he said.

“The EPA has got a very, very commendable rate of compliance. They work very hard at it, and they don’t get recognised for it,” he said.

“The numbers are telling us that things are running pretty well; that does not mean there are not problems, because there are.”

Where project proponents run into problems, they can approach ODAC to help resolve their difficulties.

Mr Hamond said this was probably ODAC’s most important function.

“The reason the complaints ‘department’ is so important is that it really tells us unequivocally where problems lie.”

ODAC takes a lead coordination role for “very large, complex, multi-jurisdictional projects”.

The seven projects it is currently coordinating include Gindalbie Metals’ Karara iron ore project, Grange Resources’ Southdown iron ore mine, and Woodside’s Pluto LNG project.

Mr Hammond said the coordination role operated at two levels.

At an officer level, ODAC brings together project proponents and government agencies so they can prepare a detailed approvals path with agreed timelines.

“It’s where our ability to bring whole of government together really starts to work well.”

Mr Hammond also meets with the chief executives of the big projects, usually on a monthly basis.

“I insist on working with project proponent CEOs. My reason for that is very simple: if I don’t have a CEO coming to see me, then the issue isn’t serious enough to warrant my attention,” he told WA Business News.

Putting chief executives into a room with the directors general of relevant agencies also means that decisions can be taken there and then.

“It’s not a status thing, its just good business.” Mr Hammond said.

As well as helping project proponents work through the existing approvals process, ODAC is charged with helping to reform the existing system.

In this regard, Mr Hammond said most critics failed to come up with specific issues.

“This arm waving drives me insane. I want to fix things but tell me where the problem is and I’ll fix it.”

He is also wary of project proponents who, he says, want to “play the capital markets game”.

“I’ve been around a long time and I’m not your average civil servant. People who put me in that basket make a terrible mistake. I know speculators and I’ve played the game and I know exactly what they are up to,” Mr Hammond said.’