❓ Question regarding a $623,106 contract for ecological and environmental consultancy services related to the Strategic Assessment of the Perth and Peel Regions, inquiring about the project's scope and justification for external expertise.
AnsweredQoN 1057Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the $623,106 contract associated with Department of Premier and Cabinet Tender 1573 for the provision of Ecological and Environmental Consultancy Services, and ask: (a) for which project or projects are the services required for; (b) what services will be provided as part of the contract; and (c) what specific services will the consultant provide which are unable to be undertaken by State Government agencies or employees?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 September 2013
Responded by
Hon C.J. Barnett
Response time
27 days
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
(a) The services are required for the Strategic Assessment of the Perth and Peel Regions (Strategic Assessment).
(b) Under the direction of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in its role as the Chair of the State Working Group, the engaged consultant will provide the following services:
• provide advice based on their professional judgement on the documentation, data, information and methodology required for the Strategic Assessment documents to meet the requirements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Cth) (EPBC Act), the Terms of Reference of the Strategic Assessment and the scoping document prepared by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA);
• conduct an environmental impact assessment of the proposed development of the Perth-Peel region based on the EPA scoping document which will inform the EPA's section 16(e) strategic advice under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA).
• prepare drafts of the plan to address Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES Plan) and the Impact Assessment Report which addresses both Commonwealth MNES and State Environmental matters;
• provide assistance to State government agencies during the three (3) month public consultation period; and
• following the public consultation period, draft final versions of the MNES Plan and Impact Assessment Report.
(c) The consultant will provide technical expertise required to prepare the specific documents required for the Strategic Assessment, which are the Plan for Matters of National Environmental Significance and Impact Assessment Report. The consultant that has been engaged, Eco Logical Australia, has substantial experience in this area having worked on both the Sydney and Melbourne strategic assessments.
The engagement of the consultant will allow the existing agency staff working on the Strategic Assessment to focus on resolving the land use and policy issues. This will allow the Strategic Assessment to be completed quicker than if agency staff also had to develop the technical documents.
It is estimated that if a consultant was not engaged it would delay the public release of draft documents by at least 12 months.
(a) The services are required for the Strategic Assessment of the Perth and Peel Regions (Strategic Assessment).
(b) Under the direction of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in its role as the Chair of the State Working Group, the engaged consultant will provide the following services:
• provide advice based on their professional judgement on the documentation, data, information and methodology required for the Strategic Assessment documents to meet the requirements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Cth) (EPBC Act), the Terms of Reference of the Strategic Assessment and the scoping document prepared by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA);
• conduct an environmental impact assessment of the proposed development of the Perth-Peel region based on the EPA scoping document which will inform the EPA's section 16(e) strategic advice under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA).
• prepare drafts of the plan to address Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES Plan) and the Impact Assessment Report which addresses both Commonwealth MNES and State Environmental matters;
• provide assistance to State government agencies during the three (3) month public consultation period; and
• following the public consultation period, draft final versions of the MNES Plan and Impact Assessment Report.
(c) The consultant will provide technical expertise required to prepare the specific documents required for the Strategic Assessment, which are the Plan for Matters of National Environmental Significance and Impact Assessment Report. The consultant that has been engaged, Eco Logical Australia, has substantial experience in this area having worked on both the Sydney and Melbourne strategic assessments.
The engagement of the consultant will allow the existing agency staff working on the Strategic Assessment to focus on resolving the land use and policy issues. This will allow the Strategic Assessment to be completed quicker than if agency staff also had to develop the technical documents.
It is estimated that if a consultant was not engaged it would delay the public release of draft documents by at least 12 months.
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