The department’s environmental reforms were a topic of discussion
| Date: | Friday, 05 September 2014 |
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DMP’s Dr Phil Gorey gave a keynote presentation at APPEA’s Health, Safety and Environment Conference
The Department of Mines and Petroleum’s Environment Executive Director Dr Phil Gorey was one of the keynote presenters at a major oil and gas conference this week.
Dr Gorey spoke about environmental reforms in Western Australia at the 2014 Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) Health, Safety and Environment Conference on 2nd September.
“There have been a number of reforms across the department’s regulatory responsibilities – particularly environmental regulation,” Dr Gorey said.
“Events such as the APPEA conference give us a good opportunity to speak to a wide audience about these reforms.”
In 2012 the department announced the Reforming Environmental Regulation (RER) program.
“The RER program is implementing the principles of best practice regulation,” Dr Gorey said.
“This means we are shifting from a regulatory system that was more prescriptive and less targeted, to a risk-based system that allows us to better target our resources to where the greater environmental risks are.
“Another important part of the reform process has been meaningful and ongoing consultation with our stakeholders – from industry and government agencies, to environmental and community groups.”
Dr Gorey said the department was committed to ensuring the safe, sustainable development of a responsible resources industry in Western Australia.
“The Environment Division is committed to providing guidance, advice and, if needed, enforcement to ensure the State’s environmental assets are protected,” he said.
This year’s conference, themed ‘Connect, Communicate, Challenge’ was opened by Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion on Tuesday morning.
