❓ Dr. Jacobs asks about the state government's efforts to reduce costs for the resources sector. The Minister details initiatives like streamlining environmental assessments, removing redundant authorisations, and implementing online assessments, estimating significant savings for the industry.
AnsweredQoN 968Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESOURCES
SECTOR — RED TAPE REDUCTION
968. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
Can the minister please explain to
the house how the state government is reducing the cost of doing business for
the resources sector?
SECTOR — RED TAPE REDUCTION
968. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
Can the minister please explain to
the house how the state government is reducing the cost of doing business for
the resources sector?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Eyre for the
question. He knows how important mining is to the Western Australian economy, and
he has a lot of miners in his electorate. When we increased the validity period
of the program of works from two years to four years, a lot of miners came into
his electorate and said, ''Well done, Liberal–National
government.'' The government has three initiatives to get rid of red
tape on the go at the moment. It has brought in the Mining Legislation
Amendment Bill, which will reduce duplication and red tape in environmental
assessments. Previously, miners had to submit two forms: one was a mining proposal
and the other was a native vegetation clearing permit. That will be combined
into one form, and only one form will have to be looked at annually, so we have
reduced in-house red tape and red tape for the miner. We estimate that will
result in about $96 000 worth of savings to industry, as well as freeing up
government.
Another important change relates to
an anomaly that exists at the moment whereby if an exploration company is
prospecting for minerals and is going to prospect for iron ore in Western Australia,
they have to get a separate authorisation. We will be getting rid of that
outdated requirement. In fact, I am advised that sometimes reports of up to 36 pages
have to be submitted for geological evaluation of the iron ore when exploration
is being done. We estimate that will result in a saving of about $1 million to
$2 million a year. I have already had a tweet from Atlas Iron which told us, ''Well
done, government.''
Finally, the other important
initiative in mining will be online assessments. A lot of forms—up to
about 90 per cent—can now be submitted online. Our aim is to have 100 per
cent of forms able to be submitted online. One good thing about submitting
forms online is that the intuitive systems can identify mistakes that may have
been made when filling in the form, and that can be corrected straightaway by
the computer program. Also, if a person submits a form that is similar to
another form, when that person goes to the other form, the program will
automatically fill in spaces regarding perhaps the amount of clearing that has
been done. We are speeding up the process for industry and reducing in-house
red tape.
The Association of Mining and
Exploration Companies has been quick off the mark and put out a press release
this morning stating, and I quote —
''The Western Australian
Government has made a good start towards reducing red tape for the mining and
mineral exploration sector �
''The Mines and Petroleum and
Finance Minister Bill Marmion announced a number of legislative changes today
which are a step in the right direction.
I acknowledge we still have a lot to
do, and next year I hope to be able to stand here during Repeal Week and
deliver even more far-reaching initiatives.
question. He knows how important mining is to the Western Australian economy, and
he has a lot of miners in his electorate. When we increased the validity period
of the program of works from two years to four years, a lot of miners came into
his electorate and said, ''Well done, Liberal–National
government.'' The government has three initiatives to get rid of red
tape on the go at the moment. It has brought in the Mining Legislation
Amendment Bill, which will reduce duplication and red tape in environmental
assessments. Previously, miners had to submit two forms: one was a mining proposal
and the other was a native vegetation clearing permit. That will be combined
into one form, and only one form will have to be looked at annually, so we have
reduced in-house red tape and red tape for the miner. We estimate that will
result in about $96 000 worth of savings to industry, as well as freeing up
government.
Another important change relates to
an anomaly that exists at the moment whereby if an exploration company is
prospecting for minerals and is going to prospect for iron ore in Western Australia,
they have to get a separate authorisation. We will be getting rid of that
outdated requirement. In fact, I am advised that sometimes reports of up to 36 pages
have to be submitted for geological evaluation of the iron ore when exploration
is being done. We estimate that will result in a saving of about $1 million to
$2 million a year. I have already had a tweet from Atlas Iron which told us, ''Well
done, government.''
Finally, the other important
initiative in mining will be online assessments. A lot of forms—up to
about 90 per cent—can now be submitted online. Our aim is to have 100 per
cent of forms able to be submitted online. One good thing about submitting
forms online is that the intuitive systems can identify mistakes that may have
been made when filling in the form, and that can be corrected straightaway by
the computer program. Also, if a person submits a form that is similar to
another form, when that person goes to the other form, the program will
automatically fill in spaces regarding perhaps the amount of clearing that has
been done. We are speeding up the process for industry and reducing in-house
red tape.
The Association of Mining and
Exploration Companies has been quick off the mark and put out a press release
this morning stating, and I quote —
''The Western Australian
Government has made a good start towards reducing red tape for the mining and
mineral exploration sector �
''The Mines and Petroleum and
Finance Minister Bill Marmion announced a number of legislative changes today
which are a step in the right direction.
I acknowledge we still have a lot to
do, and next year I hope to be able to stand here during Repeal Week and
deliver even more far-reaching initiatives.
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