Hon. Norman Moore questions the Mines Safety and Inspection Amendment Bill 2007, focusing on its impact on small exploration companies and the expertise of the Occupational Safety and Health Tribunal. The Minister's response, via the Department, clarifies that the bill doesn't restrict single statewide exploration managers and doesn't expand the Tribunal's review scope.

AnsweredQoN 643Legislative Council
Asked
29 August 2007
Portfolio
Employment Protection

QuestionView source ↗

MINES SAFETY AND INSPECTION AMENDMENT BILL 2007 643. Hon NORMAN MOORE to the minister representing the Minister for Employment Protection: I refer the minister to the Mines Safety and Inspection Amendment Bill 2007. (1) Will the minister explain the reason for the proposed change to the current requirements under section 47 of the act that allow small exploration companies to have a single statewide exploration manager? (2) In the absence of identified problems with the current system, why would the government force small exploration companies to divert their limited finances from core exploration activities to unnecessary overmanning costs? (3) How will the government ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Tribunal has sufficient expertise to review an expanded range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer, as proposed under the amendment bill? Hon SUE ELLERY

AnswerView source ↗

The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection advises - (1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
MINES SAFETY AND INSPECTION AMENDMENT BILL 2007
I refer the minister to the Mines Safety and Inspection Amendment Bill 2007. (1) Will the minister explain the reason for the proposed change to the current requirements under section 47 of the act that allow small exploration companies to have a single statewide exploration manager? (2) In the absence of identified problems with the current system, why would the government force small exploration companies to divert their limited finances from core exploration activities to unnecessary overmanning costs? (3) How will the government ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Tribunal has sufficient expertise to review an expanded range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer, as proposed under the amendment bill? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection advises - (1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
(1) Will the minister explain the reason for the proposed change to the current requirements under section 47 of the act that allow small exploration companies to have a single statewide exploration manager? (2) In the absence of identified problems with the current system, why would the government force small exploration companies to divert their limited finances from core exploration activities to unnecessary overmanning costs? (3) How will the government ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Tribunal has sufficient expertise to review an expanded range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer, as proposed under the amendment bill? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection advises - (1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
(2) In the absence of identified problems with the current system, why would the government force small exploration companies to divert their limited finances from core exploration activities to unnecessary overmanning costs? (3) How will the government ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Tribunal has sufficient expertise to review an expanded range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer, as proposed under the amendment bill? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection advises - (1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
(3) How will the government ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Tribunal has sufficient expertise to review an expanded range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer, as proposed under the amendment bill? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection advises - (1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection advises - (1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection advises - (1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
(1)-(2) Nothing in the proposed change to section 47 will prevent an exploration company from having a single exploration manager charged with ensuring the safety of all its exploration operations throughout the state. (3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.
(3) The range of decisions made by the State Mining Engineer that may be referred to the tribunal remains unchanged. The only change that has been made to the procedure is to remove the requirement for submissions to be made in a form prescribed in the regulations.

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