- Environmental Protection Authority provided with its first Statement of Expectation
- New statement follows recent changes to the Environmental Protection Act 1986
- Statement sets out Government priorities in clean energy and housing
- Cook Labor Government on track to complete 75 per cent of reforms agreed to in the Vogel-McFerran Review by end of the year
The Cook Labor Government has provided the independent Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) with its first ever Statement of Expectation to help drive new housing and clean energy projects across WA.
The document - created as part of recently legislated changes to the Environmental Protection Act 1986 - was a key recommendation of the Vogel-McFerran Review and is intended to help the EPA better understand the Government's priorities.
The statement highlights several strategic priorities for the Cook Labor Government, which the EPA will consider when managing its priorities, including:
- housing supply and the expansion of WA's softwood plantation estate for the construction industry;
- critical minerals, hydrogen and downstream processing projects that will diversify the State's economy;
- transmission infrastructure and other projects that will drive WA's renewable energy transition and Collie's Just Transition; and
- job-creating projects that can support WA's economic development.
The statement also includes major State Government projects that will set WA up for the future as important matters for the EPA to consider, including the delivery of Westport, WA's next seawater desalination plant in Alkimos, and the new public Women and Babies Hospital.
As part of the statement, the Environment Minister has also stated his expectation that the EPA give regard to:
- aligning its prioritisation of assessments with key government policies and priorities;
- efficiency and timeliness of environmental assessments;
- reducing duplication; and
- engaging with proponents.
By the end of the year, the Cook Labor Government will have enacted 75 per cent of reforms agreed to in its response to the Vogel-McFerran Review. For more information, head to: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/government-initiatives-and-projects/streamline-wa
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"My Labor Government is laser-focused on building more houses, creating local jobs, delivering our clean energy plan and setting up our State for the future.
"This reform means our independent environmental agency can better understand the Government's focus and factor this into its own priorities.
"We're delivering sensible reforms to speed up and streamline approvals while ensuring our environmental standards are the strongest in the world."
As stated by Environment Minister Reece Whitby:
"We're getting on with the job of ensuring Western Australia's high environmental protection standards are upheld while supporting efficient processes for business.
"Importantly, this reform will not change how regulators assess environmental impact, nor does it impact upon the EPA's legislative right to provide independent advice to government.
"This is a sensible change that ensures everyone is on the same page when it comes to our focus on decarbonising WA's economy, building more houses, and supporting major job-creating projects."
