❓ Hon Neil Thomson questions the appointment of Lee McIntosh as acting chair of the EPA, citing concerns about regulatory delays and her background with the Environmental Defender's Office. The Parliamentary Secretary defends the appointment based on McIntosh's experience and adherence to the Environmental Protection Act.
AnsweredQoN 124Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY — CHAIR
124. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the government media
statement giving thanks to outgoing Environmental Protection Authority chair
Matthew Tonts and announcing that deputy chair Lee McIntosh will take over as
acting chair of the EPA.
(1) Given the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia Green Web report
highlights that regulatory regimes, particularly with regard to environmental
approvals, are taking far too long and application of the rules is increasingly
unpredictable, why has the government appointed a former activist from the
Environmental Defender's Office to oversee approvals?
(2) As Ms McIntosh is part of the current problem of
ever-changing guidelines, shifting goalposts and ongoing and unrealistic
regulatory creep in assessing green environmental and cultural heritage
requirements, why has the government made this appointment when more suitable
candidates are available who would be more balanced in their opinions?
The PRESIDENT : I am
just contemplating some of the nature of that question, but I ask the
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment to see whether
he has an answer.
124. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the government media
statement giving thanks to outgoing Environmental Protection Authority chair
Matthew Tonts and announcing that deputy chair Lee McIntosh will take over as
acting chair of the EPA.
(1) Given the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia Green Web report
highlights that regulatory regimes, particularly with regard to environmental
approvals, are taking far too long and application of the rules is increasingly
unpredictable, why has the government appointed a former activist from the
Environmental Defender's Office to oversee approvals?
(2) As Ms McIntosh is part of the current problem of
ever-changing guidelines, shifting goalposts and ongoing and unrealistic
regulatory creep in assessing green environmental and cultural heritage
requirements, why has the government made this appointment when more suitable
candidates are available who would be more balanced in their opinions?
The PRESIDENT : I am
just contemplating some of the nature of that question, but I ask the
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment to see whether
he has an answer.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, President. I think I thank the member for some
notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Environment I provide the
following answer.
(1) As per the
Environmental Protection Act 1986, the deputy chair performs the functions of
the chair in the event the chair is unavailable. Ms McIntosh has been the
deputy chair of the EPA since 2020 and has more than two decades experience
practicing as an environmental lawyer. She brings a broad range of experience
and knowledge on environmental due diligence issues, heritage, offsets, and
assessment and approvals processes.
(2) The
assertion behind the member's question is misleading. If the member
wishes to understand the basis of the government's critical work to
overhaul the environmental approvals framework, I invite him to seek a briefing
from the Minister for Environment's office.
notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Environment I provide the
following answer.
(1) As per the
Environmental Protection Act 1986, the deputy chair performs the functions of
the chair in the event the chair is unavailable. Ms McIntosh has been the
deputy chair of the EPA since 2020 and has more than two decades experience
practicing as an environmental lawyer. She brings a broad range of experience
and knowledge on environmental due diligence issues, heritage, offsets, and
assessment and approvals processes.
(2) The
assertion behind the member's question is misleading. If the member
wishes to understand the basis of the government's critical work to
overhaul the environmental approvals framework, I invite him to seek a briefing
from the Minister for Environment's office.
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