On 5 August 2019 the Federal Resources Minister, Matt Canavan MP
announced that the Productivity Commission will conduct a 12-month
review of the regulation of the resources sector. This review is in
response to criticism that the red-tape created by state and
federal regulations are holding back the growth of Australia's
resources sector.
The Productivity Commission will look at best-practice examples
of regulation that removes unnecessary costs for business, while
maintaining sound oversight. It will also examine regulatory
settings across the sector to highlight best-practice examples in
Australia and internationally.
A key focus will be on the efficiency of environmental and
mining approvals to help reduce the regulatory burden on
businesses. This work will complement the statutory review of
national environmental protection law – and in particular the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
1999 (Cth) – due to commence in October 2019. The aim
