Mining is a priority economic activity for the Northern Territory, and why the government believes its important for it to grow in an ecologically sustainable manner through this streamlined, modern and robust legislation. Photo: iStock/slovegrove.
The Northern Territory is set to benefit from environmental law reforms implementing a modern, streamlined and effective system for ecologically sustainable mining.
As the region’s largest source of income, the $6 billion mining industry and its more than 5000 direct employees will be under new regulations that hope to provide greater transparency and certainty in managing environmental effects.
Under the Environmental Protection Legislation Amendment (Mining) Bill 2023, the resources industry will be subject to a new three-tier risk-based licensing system managing mining activities, compliance and enforcement powers and regulatory approvals.
Minister for Environment Kate Worden said the resources sector will be an essential factor in the NT’s future prosperity.
“Mining needs to be sustainable and ecologically viable. These reforms will give the industry more certainty around what their environmental responsibilities are,” she said.
“The new legislative framework will increase transparency and accountability of the regulator and mining operators, delivering stronger environmental outcomes in the regulation of mining activities.”
The Legacy Mines Remediation Bill, which passed on 28 November, also established a best practice regulatory framework for the Mining Remediation Fund and the payment of the mining remediation levy to underpin the government’s commitment to the remediation of legacy mines.
Now, the NT has the nation’s most contemporary environmental framework for the management of mining and legacy mines, with an outcome-focused approach to support the Territory Government’s search for ways to grow and diversify its sustainable resources industry.
Minister for Mining and Industry Nicole Manison said this will mean thousands of new jobs, economic growth and more investment in the services and infrastructure Territorians deserve.
“These reforms ensure we have streamlined environmental assessments system that will give greater certainty to the mining industry and streamline processes to faster approvals,” she said.
“These changes mean Territorians can have confidence that mining can take place in a sustainable way with strong environmental protections in place.”
