❓ Hon Neil Thomson questions the Minister for Environment regarding mining environmental compliance following an Auditor General's report highlighting reduced monitoring. The Minister commits to increasing monitoring, inspections, and transparency in compliance information.
AnsweredQoN 264Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MINING —
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
264. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the Auditor General's
report Compliance with mining environmental conditions of 20 December
2022, which states that despite growth in the mining sector, entities have
reduced their planned monitoring activities, shrinking planned inspection
programs by 60 per cent or more over the last five years.
(1) Will the
minister commit to reinstating monitoring and planned inspection programs in
line with mining growth and at a rate similar to when WA Labor took power in
2017?
(2) Will the
minister commit to publishing detailed compliance information and a list of
formal warnings issued to operators?
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
264. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the Auditor General's
report Compliance with mining environmental conditions of 20 December
2022, which states that despite growth in the mining sector, entities have
reduced their planned monitoring activities, shrinking planned inspection
programs by 60 per cent or more over the last five years.
(1) Will the
minister commit to reinstating monitoring and planned inspection programs in
line with mining growth and at a rate similar to when WA Labor took power in
2017?
(2) Will the
minister commit to publishing detailed compliance information and a list of
formal warnings issued to operators?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Environment, I provide
the following answer.
(1) Yes, the
minister is committed to increasing monitoring and planned inspection programs
for the mining sector and other industry sectors. The Department of Water and
Environmental Regulation's compliance program for 2022–23 sets
out a risk-based and integrated approach targeting locations, premises and operators who pose the highest risk to public
health, the environment and water resources. The compliance program contains both proactive and reactive
components to ensure the department remains intelligence-led and
responsive to emerging issues.
Planned
inspection programs for on-ground verification are one element of the
compliance program. Other elements include the use of technology such as
satellite, aerial and remote sensing imagery; the ongoing review of results
from environmental monitoring programs; and evidence provided in annual compliance
reports to verify claims of compliance and targeting specific industry sectors.
Unplanned inspections not specifically
identified in the compliance program are also key elements of the annual
compliance program.
The department will publish the key
findings following the implementation of the 2022–23 compliance
program. The recommendations contained within the Auditor General's
report will inform future compliance programs.
(2) Yes, the
minister is committed to increasing the transparency of the department's
compliance and enforcement outcomes. The department currently publishes copies
of a number of notices, directions and orders,
as well as the outcomes of prosecutions—unless subject to a court
suppression—on its website. The department is finalising a new policy that will set out transparency
principles and a regulatory transparency benchmark. This will help
ensure that regulatory decision-making and policy making processes, together
with the technical information and supporting data, are publicly available.
some notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Environment, I provide
the following answer.
(1) Yes, the
minister is committed to increasing monitoring and planned inspection programs
for the mining sector and other industry sectors. The Department of Water and
Environmental Regulation's compliance program for 2022–23 sets
out a risk-based and integrated approach targeting locations, premises and operators who pose the highest risk to public
health, the environment and water resources. The compliance program contains both proactive and reactive
components to ensure the department remains intelligence-led and
responsive to emerging issues.
Planned
inspection programs for on-ground verification are one element of the
compliance program. Other elements include the use of technology such as
satellite, aerial and remote sensing imagery; the ongoing review of results
from environmental monitoring programs; and evidence provided in annual compliance
reports to verify claims of compliance and targeting specific industry sectors.
Unplanned inspections not specifically
identified in the compliance program are also key elements of the annual
compliance program.
The department will publish the key
findings following the implementation of the 2022–23 compliance
program. The recommendations contained within the Auditor General's
report will inform future compliance programs.
(2) Yes, the
minister is committed to increasing the transparency of the department's
compliance and enforcement outcomes. The department currently publishes copies
of a number of notices, directions and orders,
as well as the outcomes of prosecutions—unless subject to a court
suppression—on its website. The department is finalising a new policy that will set out transparency
principles and a regulatory transparency benchmark. This will help
ensure that regulatory decision-making and policy making processes, together
with the technical information and supporting data, are publicly available.
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