Calls for faster action on approvals

The pace of the WA’s Environment Online rollout is too slow, the state opposition said today, while the federal government has announced $47 million for a national digital approvals platform.

Liberal environment spokesperson Tjorn Sibma said the Environment Online project, which is intended to speed up approvals through use of an online portal, was at risk of running behind schedule.

Mr Sibma said full functionality might be delayed two years behind the original 2023 completion date.

He said the government had been unable to advise a specific date when the first of seven proposed portals would go live, with industry participants to test functionality later this month.

That follows a report in the latest edition of Business News magazine highlighting the long delays for projects moving through the approvals process.

Fifteen recent projects waited more than 12,000 days total before final approval.

“Despite five years of red-tape reduction rhetoric the McGowan Government is struggling to deliver the basics of an environmental approvals system it has promised budget after budget,” Mr Sibma said.

“The minister cannot provide any certainty for when Environment Online will actually come online.

“This is despite spending approximately $9 million on development and employing 61 Department of Water and Environmental Regulation staff and contractors to date.”

Also today, the federal government announced $47 million to expand its Digital Environmental Assessment Program, which was being piloted in WA.

“A national DEAP will ensure assessments are based on consistent data, that decisions can be made more quickly, with less cost for all concerned,” Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley said.

“Proponents would submit applications through an integrated ‘portal’ that meets Commonwealth, State and Territory requirements, and which is aligned with a national environmental biodiversity database.

“The current system of multiple development applications being made across multiple jurisdictions invites confusion, delay and unnecessary cost.”

Mining industry representatives welcomed the move.

Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA director of policy and advocacy Rob Carruthers said CME supports a robust regulatory regime but that it must be efficient, transparent, and free from duplication.

“For our sector – and many other industries – removal of regulatory duplication and better coordination of assessments and approvals across government agencies will drive much needed public sector efficiency, and provide business the confidence to invest in major projects,” he said.

“It’s not until a project obtains final regulatory approval that the really material economic and community outcomes begin to flow through.  

“With $91 billion of planned and prospective projects in the pipeline across the WA resources sector, there is a significant prize to be realised if these investments can be brought forward.”

Association of Mining and Exploration Companies chief executive Warren Pearce said he hoped the federal platform would improve the approvals process and make it simpler, faster and cheaper, while maintaining rigorous standards.

“Underpinning the assessment portal will be a national environmental biodiversity database, which is a step to ensuring consistency and certainty for Industry,” Mr Pearce said. 

“The database will also ensure that some of the great science our industry is undertaking in these assessments is discoverable, accessible, and useable.”

Mining move

Aside from environmental approvals, the state government recently made a move to reduce red tape delays elsewhere.

Earlier this month, the government appointed a second Perth Mining Warden to deal with an increased flow of mineral title applications.

"The McGowan Government's appointment of an additional Perth Mining Warden will allow matters before the court to be dealt with more quickly and efficiently,” Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston said.

"Western Australia's resources sector has seen, on average, a 12 per cent increase in mineral title applications each year since 2019, which is an indication of the sector's strong performance.

"This has led to a rise of contested mineral title applications before the Warden's Court and in this competitive market it's expected to continue growing.

"Dealing with these application matters through an accessible and efficient justice service is fundamental to a sustainable minerals resource industry."

That was welcomed by AMEC’s Mr Pearce.

“This decision will have a material impact on the timeliness of the grant of tenure and the resolution of disputes,” Mr Pearce said.

“Over the last 18 months, we have been concerned that there is an increasing backlog in listing for hearings, with hearings delayed out towards the end of this year.

“AMEC is pleased that the government has also increased the number of support staff to the Warden.  

“This is a sensible investment that will improve the productivity of the Warden’s Court.”