Executive summary

Western Australia’s strong resources sector continued to play a large role in the State’s development during 2016-17.

DMP is responsible for managing access to the State’s mining and petroleum resources. This requires regulating resource industries and dangerous goods, including collecting royalties, plus ensuring that safety, health and environmental standards are met.

The value of the WA’s mineral and petroleum industry during 2016-17 was about $105 billion, with royalties collected on behalf of the State totalling more than $5 billion. The State’s two key commodities enjoyed a positive year with iron ore sales increasing by almost 31 per cent on the previous financial year to almost $64 billion and gold increasing its sales to $10.8 billion.

DMP has emerged as a global leader in terms of expertise in the areas of regulation and safety as well as in the development of new technologies. This annual report is a snapshot of achievements and programs from the past year reflecting the department’s focus on:

• building a trusted position with stakeholders
• reshaping the organisation to deliver more value
• encouraging responsible development of the State’s resources through risk-based and outcome-focused regulation.

The Opportunities and Challenges section offers an in-depth look at the significant issues impacting the Department’s performance including global factors while the Report on operations and performance section outlines the department’s three service areas and its key challenges.

The department’s most valuable asset is its staff, and the Disclosures and Legal compliance section includes some significant departmental achievements such as scoring an 84 per cent staff satisfaction rate in the Public Sector Commission’s Employee Perception Survey, a top ranking for its interagency graduate program and winning a Best Practice in Health and Wellbeing award from the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) WA for its wellness program.