KPI 1: Percentage of applications determined within agreed timeframes
What we measure:
The department is responsible for administering mineral and energy resources legislation with an emphasis on the timely determination and management of applications. Improving determination performance is a high priority for the State Government.
The department, as a designated Lead Agency, under the Lead Agency Framework, considers managing determinations within agreed times as key to responsibly developing resources across the State.
Lack of certainty and time delays have major financial implications for stakeholders and reputational repercussions for the State.
How we measure:
This measure is calculated by dividing applications determined within agreed timeframes by overall applications determined. Applications determined are those approved, refused, lapsed, rejected or withdrawn.
The agreed timeframe in which applications are determined is set according to legislation. This includes defining whether the timeframe is counted in business days or calendar days.
| Target | Actual | Status | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall results | 92% | 98% | +6% |  |
Target exceeded |
KPI 1: Percentage of applications determined within agreed timeframes
Results by regulatory area:
- 99 per cent of mining tenure applications determined within agreed timeframes.
- 98 per cent of environment applications determined within agreed timeframes.
- 100 per cent of mine safety applications determined within agreed timeframes.
- 87 per cent of petroleum and geothermal tenure and activity applications determined within agreed timeframes.
Our performance:
Overall strong performance in all business areas has resulted in the target being exceeded for the 2016-17 reporting period. The number of mining applications received by the department increased 30 per cent on the previous year, which may be attributed to a resurgence of interest in gold exploration, especially in the Northern Goldfields area, and greater exploration interest in lithium, driven by its high price and demand. Despite this increase in workload, 99 per cent of applications were finalised within the agreed timeframe.
Similarly, the Environment approvals exceeded targets due to realisation of benefits resulting from improvements such as new online spatial lodgement systems, increased pre-application consultations with applicants, improved guidance material for applicants and staff training. These improvements have enhanced the quality of the applications submitted to the department, allowing for more efficient assessments.
The number of Project Management and Radiation Management Plans vary from year-to-year depending on industry activity. All applications for the resources safety sector were processed within the agreed timeframe.
During the year there was some fluctuation with Petroleum Well activities with some industry requesting that applications to abandon 36 Thevenard Island wells be placed “on hold’. Applications put “on hold’ can cause some bottlenecks in application determination timeframes. However, these bottlenecks have not impacted on the overall result for the determinations in agreed timeframes.