Regulate proportionate to risk
Targets
By 2027 we aim to have:
- Built on our existing understanding about the potential risks of regulated activities and increased data sharing with industry to improve decision making and better ensure effort is focused towards risk.
- Improved the efficiency of our regulatory activities by prioritising resources towards activities that pose higher risks to the environment or built heritage.
On track
- We continue to embed a risk-based approach to our regulatory actions.
- We are taking action to address environmental risks. For example, in response to increasing compliance concerns regarding waste stockpiling leading to fire risks, we are reviewing the ‘Guideline Prevention of environmental harm from waste stockpile fires’ to assist operators to manage the fire risks associated with stockpiles of combustible wastes and resources.
Actions
Action 1.1
Identify areas of the legislation operationalised by ESR, including the Environmental Protection Act 1994, that would benefit from a more contemporary regulatory approach proportionate to risk and consider potential legislative changes in consultation with industry and the community.
Status:
The 2023 Progress Report includes details about the delivery of this action.
Action 1.2
Develop guidance (available externally) to support officers to consider risk as part of regulatory decision making.
Status:
The 2023 Progress Report includes details about the delivery of this action.
Action 1.3
Review conditions that are commonly applied across industry sectors and consider the feasibility of incorporating these conditions in the legislation or a statutory instrument published by the Chief Executive to ensure greater consistency.
Status:
We continue to investigate options for streamlining and modernising our approach to environmental authority conditioning.
Action 1.4
Contribute to a scientific and technical review of the environmental risk of resource activities regulated under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
Status:
- We continued to contribute to a review project which aims to better understand the environmental risks of resource activities regulated under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
- The project involves documenting the contemporary risks associated with resource activities to inform regulatory approaches proportionate to the risk of the activities.
Action 1.5
Undertake a review of the financial assurance framework for prescribed environmentally relevant activities.
Status:
Delivery of this action is currently on hold.