❓ The Minister for Mines and Petroleum outlines progress in improving resource sector approval processes, focusing on online systems and inter-agency collaboration to enhance efficiency and transparency. Key achievements include high rates of online application lodgement and assessment within target timelines.
AnsweredQoN 141Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESOURCE
SECTOR — APPROVAL PROCESS ES
141. Ms W.M. DUNCAN to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
What progress has the government made to improving resource
sector approval processes?
SECTOR — APPROVAL PROCESS ES
141. Ms W.M. DUNCAN to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
What progress has the government made to improving resource
sector approval processes?
AnswerView source ↗
The member for Kalgoorlie is
demonstrating her strong commitment to the mining sector by asking yet another
question. Indeed, one of the key objectives of our government has been to
improve the approval processes. One of the key initiatives that we introduced
was the Department of Mines and Petroleum's online lodgement and
approval tracking system. After being introduced in 2010, more than 90 per cent
of DMP's approval processes are now online. From 1 July this year, all
annual environmental reports will be submitted online. This will improve our
data consistency, improve our data efficiency and also increase public
transparency. The public will also have easy access to these reports, which
will enable them to see that the mining companies are meeting their
environmental commitments. The department is also encouraging industry to
submit online applications rather than their current paper-based applications.
This reduces the administrative burden on the department, it helps to increase
the time lines and it ultimately reduces cost to the industry. Progress has
been positive, with 89 per cent of program-of-work applications for mineral
explorations lodged online during 2012. In the same period, 56 per cent of
exploration licence applications were lodged online. During 2012, 7 000 mining,
petroleum and geothermal applications were submitted to the department; 94.6 per
cent of the 2 565 mineral exploration applications were assessed within the
30-business-day target time line; and 98.3 per cent of the petroleum
environment plans were assessed within the 30-day target time line. The online
system is demonstrating already improved efficiencies.
We are now moving on to addressing
some of our election commitments made during the campaign. One of our key
projects is to improve the online tracking system to move into the other
agencies so that there will be greater transparency to track a project right
through other agencies, and I am working closely with my colleague the Minister
for Environment in that regard. That is therefore one area we are looking at.
We are also moving to establish an environmental database, which will also
assist the mining industry in the approval processes so that there will be less
duplication of environmental reports. We are therefore doing a lot to improve
the approval processes. The online tracking system is one of our key
initiatives. I will be working over the next four years to make sure that we
support the online tracking system for all areas of the department to improve
efficiencies.
demonstrating her strong commitment to the mining sector by asking yet another
question. Indeed, one of the key objectives of our government has been to
improve the approval processes. One of the key initiatives that we introduced
was the Department of Mines and Petroleum's online lodgement and
approval tracking system. After being introduced in 2010, more than 90 per cent
of DMP's approval processes are now online. From 1 July this year, all
annual environmental reports will be submitted online. This will improve our
data consistency, improve our data efficiency and also increase public
transparency. The public will also have easy access to these reports, which
will enable them to see that the mining companies are meeting their
environmental commitments. The department is also encouraging industry to
submit online applications rather than their current paper-based applications.
This reduces the administrative burden on the department, it helps to increase
the time lines and it ultimately reduces cost to the industry. Progress has
been positive, with 89 per cent of program-of-work applications for mineral
explorations lodged online during 2012. In the same period, 56 per cent of
exploration licence applications were lodged online. During 2012, 7 000 mining,
petroleum and geothermal applications were submitted to the department; 94.6 per
cent of the 2 565 mineral exploration applications were assessed within the
30-business-day target time line; and 98.3 per cent of the petroleum
environment plans were assessed within the 30-day target time line. The online
system is demonstrating already improved efficiencies.
We are now moving on to addressing
some of our election commitments made during the campaign. One of our key
projects is to improve the online tracking system to move into the other
agencies so that there will be greater transparency to track a project right
through other agencies, and I am working closely with my colleague the Minister
for Environment in that regard. That is therefore one area we are looking at.
We are also moving to establish an environmental database, which will also
assist the mining industry in the approval processes so that there will be less
duplication of environmental reports. We are therefore doing a lot to improve
the approval processes. The online tracking system is one of our key
initiatives. I will be working over the next four years to make sure that we
support the online tracking system for all areas of the department to improve
efficiencies.
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