The Northern Territory Government has introduced reforms into its Mining Bill to enhance the environmental management of mining activities and ensure industry certainty following public consultation on draft legislation.
The Environmental Protection Legislation Amendment (Mining) Bill 2023 aims to modernise and streamline the Territory’s mining industry for ecologically sustainable development.
“It will also increase transparency and accountability of the regulator and mining operators, delivering stronger environmental outcomes in the regulation of mining activities,” Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Lauren Moss said.
The Bill introduces a modern legislative framework for managing mining’s environmental impacts, focusing on risk and outcome-focused regulation.
The reforms include:
- A new three-tier risk-based licensing system is being implemented to manage mining activities;
- Expands existing compliance and enforcement powers under the EP Act; and
- allows for merging previously managed impacts through multiple regulatory approvals under a single overarching environmental (mining) licence.
“These proposed reforms are critical to ensure we have a robust regulatory system in place for the sustainable development of our mineral resources, thereby protecting the Territory’s unique environment,” Minister Moss stated.
The Territory Government has also introduced the Legacy Mines Remediation Bill 2023, a new framework for the Mining Remediation Fund and payment of the remediation levy, ensuring government commitment to legacy mine remediation.
According to the Territory Government, once passed, the Northern Territory will have the most modern environmental framework for managing mining and legacy mines in the country, leading innovation and developments in legacy mine remediation.
“These changes will help make the Northern Territory a more attractive place for mining investment with a modernised environmental system,” Minister for Mining and Industry Nicole Manison said.
“These changes mean Territorians can have confidence that mining can take place in a sustainable way with strong environmental protections in place,” Minister Manison added.
The Northern Territory’s mining industry, worth over $6 billion and employing over 5,000 people, is the largest source of revenue for the Territory, positioning it as a global supplier of resources as Australia and the world transition.
The Government noted that the mining industry prioritises ecologically sustainable development through streamlined, contemporary, and robust legislation.
