Protecting community, infrastructure and the environment

Resources Victoria Regulatory Operations (RVRO) Compliance Priorities 2025-26

At the last of 2025 RVRO Industry Reference Group meeting (25 November 2025) attended by the peak bodies (including Dr Elizabeth Gibson, General Manager CMPA) in quarrying and mining, the new Chief Inspector Resources, Victoria Renee Palmer presented on RVRO compliance priorities 2026.

Preventing the spread of harmful material into the environment.

Tailings storage

• Tailing storage facilities and slimes dams built to approved requirements
• Monitoring, maintenance, reporting and management is in accordance with relevant guidelines

Overextraction

Avoiding extraction of materials beyond approved limits.

• Extraction is within the approved area – extent and depth profile
• Focus on compliance with final approved batter angel to control rehabilitation liability
• Not deferring corrective action until the end of quarry/mine life

Rehabilitation

Ensuring liability for abandoned quarries and mines does not fall to the Victorian community.

• Authority holders can demonstrate effective progressive rehabilitation
• Quarries and mines have sufficient rehabilitation bonds
• Mining licence holders are financially capable as well as fit and proper against well-defined criteria

Community impacts

Addressing local community concerns about loss of amenity.

• Authority holders comply with conditions and are effectively managing potential impacts on community, including dust vibration and noise
• Authority holders actively engage with their community to address concerns raised
• Corrective action is taken where non-compliance is identified

What industry can expect from RVRO

• Increased inspector presence on site completing the risk assessment program at every mine and quarry state-wide
• Audit program based on compliance priorities and follow-up inspectors prioritised according to risk
• Increased use of enforcement tools including infringements for non-compliance and notices to require remedial actions where risks are not appropriately managed

RVRO Reportable Events – Events extractive industries must report

Regulation 20(2) of the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Extractive Industries) Regulations 2019 defines a reportable event as meaning:

• an explosion or outbreak of fire
• slope failure, unexpected slope movement, progressive slope collapse or failure of slope stability control measures
• an injury to a member of the public caused by the carrying out of the extractive industry or associated operations
• an uncontrolled outburst of gas
• an unexpected or abnormal inrush of groundwater, other fluid
• blasting that results in an ejection of flyrock outside the work plan area of the approved work plan for the extractive industry work authority
• an escape, spillage or leakage of a harmful or potentially harmful:
  • substances or
  • slurry or
  • tailings

• a breach of a condition of the extractive industry work authority, or non-compliance with the approved work plan for the extractive industry work authority or the work plan conditions, that results or likely to result in a risk to:
  • the environment or
  • any member of the public or
  • property, land, or infrastructure in the vicinity of the work under the extractive industry and work authority
  • an abnormal event
  • an event that results, or may result in significant impacts on public safety, the environment or infrastructure

Reporting an event

Resources Victoria developed notes to provide clear guidance about the requirements to report any reportable event in an appropriate, timely manner which can be found at Resources Victoria

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