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Lead agency role for DMP

Friday, 16 October 2009

The Department of Mines and Petroleum is now the new lead agency for regulating Western Australia’s resources sector and the emerging uranium sector.

Under the new lead agency model, announced by the Premier Colin Barnett, the Department of Mines and Petroleum will be responsible and accountable for coordinating the tracking and approval process for resources sector projects.

Establishing a lead agency is expected to add more certainty to the resources sector by providing a more effective and efficient approvals process for mining and petroleum projects in Western Australia. 

The Premier made the announcement at the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association last night.

Mr Barnett said a new lead agency framework and a suite of legislative changes would help deliver more decisions, more quickly for the betterment of the State’s future.
 
“Western Australia is on the cusp of another period of significant economic activity and growth. The Liberal-National Government is committed to ensuring this is a sustained period of economic development over at least the next 20 years,” he said.
 
“We must create and maximise the opportunities presented by attracting investment in the State and ensuring that investment provides long-term benefits for all Western Australians. We need an approvals system that welcomes investment and stimulates economic development, not stymie it.
 
“With strong and sustained economic growth comes schools, hospitals, the development of towns and the provision of help and support for the most vulnerable in our community.
 
“The Liberal-National Government has a different attitude towards projects, approvals and the State’s prosperity than the previous government. We are not prepared to lose another Inpex.”
 
The new lead agency framework will work by determining specific government departments as the first point of call for a project. It formalises process implemented by the Liberal-National Government over previous months.
 
The relevant department will then help the proponent through the approvals process throughout agencies. The lead agency will then provide the proponent with a custom level of service depending on the size, scale and significance of the project.
 
Other lead agencies include the Department of State Development as the lead agency on major resource projects like Gorgon and Oakajee and the Department of Planning as the lead agency for projects such as the sinking of the Northbridge rail line and the Perth waterfront development.
 
The Department of Regional Development and Lands will become the lead agency for developments like Ord River Stage Two.

Further information

Ministerial Media Statement
Lead Agency Framework - A guidance note for implementation

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