Submissions and Issues (Issue 29)

Medical Templates

The draft documents have been presented to the Management Committee. The templates will now be sent to major companies and possibly the mines for their comments. Following this, the documents will be sent to a third party for review. The documents will then be reviewed by the DPI or WorkCover.

Small Tailings Storage Facilities

After discussions with the DPI a revised document was sent through with considerable changes that addressed many of the CMPA’s initial concerns. The new draft is to be reviewed again and commented upon.

DPI Stakeholders Forum

This meeting is coming up on October 19 and members are invited to put forward any suggestion for agenda items they might have.

Red Tape Investigation

A number of Members and government bodies have requested the CMPA to clearly articulate what it views as red tape issues. After considerable discussion, it was resolved that the following should occur:

• A questionnaire will be developed to consult with Members on this issue
• The issues are outlined through key points. This needs to be released in the coming month to provide information to candidates in the upcoming state election.
• The details and examples need to be clarified over the following months to back up key issues.

The CMPA is considering working on this with the NGMA and has obtained contact details relevant personnel to correspond with.

Funding is to be sourced when developing the details. This may be through the government body seeking the information or another means.

SEPP (Air Quality Management)

A supporting letter has been received from the Victorian Lime Producers Association and a similar letter is on its way from the Natural Gypsum Miners Association. A response has been received from the EPA and is available from Sarah

DPI Drugs & Alcohol Guidance

This guidance note was put forward at the Tripatite Safety Forum. The CMPA’s position is that since Work Authorities align directly to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, that existing Work Cover guidance should be used, not a DPI document. This is different to Mining Licences who align to the OHS (Mines) Regulations.

EPA – Schedule Premises Review

The EPA are about to commence a review of the Environment Protection (Scheduled Premises and Exemptions) Regulations 1996.

These regulations list the types and scale of industrial or waste management activities which are deemed to make a premises scheduled and provides exemptions. A scheduled premises is one which has the potential to cause significant impact to the environment through emissions or discharges.

The regulations also detail when works approvals or licenses are required.

The CMPA would appreciate anyone who would be affected by this regulation to contact the Secretariat. This information is required to ensure that the needs of our members are clearly articulated.

Environmental Guidelines – Management of Small Tailings Storage Facilities

The DPI has released the above document which is a summary of the Environmental Guidelines – Management of Tailings Storage Facilities 2004 designed specifically for small storage facilities for benign or low level contaminates.

It is available from the DPI website, www.dpi.vic.gov.au, and follow the links to Minerals & Petroleum, Environment and Guidelines.

The CMPA recommended that the release of this document is accompanied with briefings for industry. This has been welcomed by the DPI and expression of interest are now invited.

Owner Drivers & Forestry Contractors Act

The CMPA has been working with Industrial Relations Victoria in the implementation of the Owner Drivers and Forestry Contracts Act (the ‘Act’) and its implications upon our member’s management of cartage contractors working for them.

One of the requirements of the Act is the development of an agreement between the hirer (the CMPA’s members) and the owner driver (cartage contractor). After consideration, the CMPA engaged Mr Lindsay Coombs to assist in the development of a sample contract that would be quick and easy to implement into our members businesses thus ensuring they met the Act’s requirements.

This is presently being finalised, and will be released in detail at a workshop to be held on February 14, 2007

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