Director General’s message

Western Australia is one of the world’s most diversified resources jurisdictions, producing more than 50 different mineral commodities, making it a leading contributor to the State’s economy.

The Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) is the regulator of this significant sector. The department’s strong regulatory framework, along with its innovative and adaptive management approach, contributed to the State being recognised as one of the world’s most attractive mining investment juridstictions.

This annual report provides an opportunity to showcase some of the department’s achievements during the past 12 months and has been structured to reflect the services, challenges and significant outcomes outlined in the department’s strategic plan.

The department’s ongoing commitment to making Western Australia a destination of choice for responsible resources exploration and development was recognised in 2016, with a Premier’s Award in the “Western Australia in Asia’ category for “Strategic Engagement with China’s Resource Sector’.

One of the most significant projects during 2016-17 was the completion of the $7.3 million upgrade to the Perth Core Library in Carlisle, which was opened on budget and on time in November 2016. The project cemented the library’s status as a world-class geoscience facility, by increasing storage by 3500 square metres and nearly doubling the pallet storage capacity from 8640 to more than 15,000.

DMP’s strong emphasis on environmental responsibility and stakeholder engagement was also strongly demonstrated throughout the year, with the completion of the final revegetation works at the Black Diamond pit lake site near Collie. This was the first of four pilot sites to be rehabilitated as part of the Mining Rehabilitation Fund’s Abandoned Mines Program. The rehabilitation process for the Black Diamond site included extensive community consultation to provide an ecologically stable recreation space that is now an asset to the area.

The development of online systems also continued over the past 12 months and will expand further over the coming years. Online systems offer faster, more seamless ways to do business. The new map-based online system for lodging Programme of Work (PoW) applications went online on 1 March 2017. It was received positively by stakeholders, who were provided with training sessions before and after the launch.

Towards 2020, the department’s regulatory strategy, covering all legislation administered by our Resources Safety Division, was launched in May at the Minesafe International 2017 conference. This online resource shares the department’s vision for a safe and healthy resources industry, and how it can be achieved.

Looking back, I am pleased to have taken on the role of Acting Director General of this department from 3 May 2017. I am greatly indebted to my predecessors who shaped this department’s direction and successfully delivered its services. Richard Sellers was the Director General from 1 July to 9 September 2016 and Dr Tim Griffin was the Acting Director General from 10 September 2016 to 2 May 2017.

Thanks to their efforts, I was able to focus on bringing together DMP with the Department of Commerce to form the new Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) on 1 July 2017. The willingness of all staff to step in and take on different roles as required during this transition has enabled the amalgamation to proceed smoothly, maintaining services to our stakeholders.

It is this approach that will ensure our success as a new department, which will work for a safe, fair and responsible future for the Western Australian community, industry and resources sector.

David Smith
Director General