The year ahead: Focus areas for maintaining a responsible resources sector
| Date: | Tuesday, 20 August 2024 |
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The Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation, and Safety (DEMIRS) has been working to implement key improvements to strengthen our approach to environmental regulation in the resources sector.
In 2024–25, the department’s Resource and Environmental Compliance Division will continue utilising its risk-based compliance approach to identify areas for proactive work.
Due to the scale of the Western Australian resources industry, a risk-based approach means the department can allocate resources in proportion to the level of risk an activity or operation poses to the environment.
Key focus areas include exploration compliance, progressive rehabilitation and closure outcomes, and the decommissioning of petroleum assets. The department has already considered options to strengthen the regulatory framework for decommissioning petroleum assets, and a discussion paper will be available for industry feedback in the near future.
To better inform our compliance activities, we will also focus on educating operators about their reporting obligations. It is essential we receive detailed and quality reporting, so the department is satisfied an individual or company is complying with approvals and regulatory requirements.
Another priority area is providing greater transparency to the community regarding compliance and enforcement activities.
DEMIRS has been addressing the findings of the Office of the Auditor General report into Compliance with Mining Environmental Conditions. In response to one of the report’s recommendations, the department will start publicly releasing the mining operator’s name alongside the non-compliance information it currently publishes.
This approach will take place from 1 October 2024 within the quarterly compliance and enforcement reporting in the Resource and Environmental Regulation eNewsletter. More information on this approach is provided within the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Procedure.
Greater, in-depth commentary about compliance trends and the outcomes of our compliance activities are also reported in this quarterly newsletter.
