DSDBI Update (Issue 69)

IAN MCLEOD, Acting General Manager Minerals and Extractive Operations, Earth Resources Regulation Victoria (ERRV) provides an update on the department restructure and audit program.

Public Service Restructure

Th e Victorian Public Service has been restructured to strengthen the focus on jobs and investment and deliver frontline services more effectively.

Earth Resources Development (ERD) and Earth Resources Regulation Victoria (ERRV) have been included in the Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (DSDBI) under Howard Ronaldson, Secretary. Earth Resources Development now forms part of the Energy and Earth Resources portfolio under Sandra Denis, Deputy Secretary. Earth Resources Regulation now forms part of the Corporate, Planning and Compliance Services portfolio under Rob Barr, Deputy Secretary.

The former Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has been merged with the former Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) to form the Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) as part of the restructure. Earth Resources Development and Earth Resources Regulation Victoria offices (including Melbourne District Operations) will be moving from 1 Spring Street Melbourne to 121 Exhibition Street Melbourne in the coming months. The regional district offices will remain at their current locations.

Please contact your district manager if you have any queries regarding the restructure.

Targeted Audit Program

DPI’s six-monthly targeted auditing program on Community Engagement examined community engagement practice across Victoria’s minerals and extractives sectors and ended on 30 June 2013.

There were 49 audits undertaken at Work Authorities and of these 13 sites complied fully with the current requirement of having a formal comprehensive community engagement plan.

Community engagement plans now form part of the information required in a work plan for an extractive industry and need to address a range of criteria including identifying affected communities, community attitudes and expectations and analysing community feedback.

Some of the sites with community engagement plans that were not fully developed were located in remote locations where the lack of nearby neighbours reduced the need for a detailed plan. The sites without plans had been established prior to the legislation requiring them. All sites were able to demonstrate to varying degrees a genuine commitment to community engagement reflecting their individual circumstances.

In summary, the audit indicated:

• The development of formal community engagement practices is encouraging though still at an early stage; and
• The industry tends to focus on complaints management rather than proactive community engagement. If implemented, community engagement plans can potentially alleviate community concerns escalating to complaints.

ERRV will continue to work with the industry by providing advice and assisting in the development of community engagement plans to build industry capacity to deliver improved community engagement outcomes.

The next Targeted Audit will be Slimes and Tailings Dams and is scheduled to start in August this year.

Staff News

Kylie White has replaced Doug Sceney as Executive Director, Earth Resources Regulation Victoria. Kylie has extensive public sector experience including previous experience as a regulator in various DSE roles and has gained a sound knowledge of the earth resources sector in ERD.

Chris Brooks has been seconded in a role as Executive Director for State Development Project Delivery within the Major Projects Division. Chris will now oversee the next phase of the Coal Development project the Market Engagement process which will inform a Government decision on whether or not a tender for coal allocation should be held.
Anthony Hurst is fulfilling the role of Executive Director, Earth Resources Development Branch in Chris’ absence.Anthony was until recently the Executive Director, Fisheries Victoria, as well as previously having responsibilities including Game and Forestry.

The above changes in leadership come at a time when Government has placed renewed emphasis on targeted investment attraction, project facilitation, regulatory reform and streamlining regulatory processes in the earth resources sector to secure new investment and economic development in the State.

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