qao environmental regulation performance audit in5slides
TRANSCRIPT
QAO Environmental Regulation performance audit…
The Queensland resources sector has left an estimated
15,000 abandoned mines, and Queensland was one of
Australia’s largest generators of waste.
So, the Queensland Audit Office looked at how well the
Departments of Environment and Heritage Protection
(EHP) and Natural Resources and Mines (NRM) were
regulating the resources and waste industries.
.
MAY 2014
EHP are not doing well. They just can’t do what they say
they are trying to. They can’t even chase up $6M of late
licence fees.
Even so, the auditor recommends that EHP take over the
NRM roles regarding financial assurances. Because NRM
are doing worse.
It seems to be all about the data, or lack thereof, to make
appropriate regulatory decisions.
WHAT DOES IT SAY.
MAY 2014
The auditor found that EHP “data are unreliable; hard to
access; difficult to analyse; and often incapable of
providing timely and quality information”.
The auditor reminds us that to do risk-based regulation,
you must have and use good compliance data, and good
monitoring data.
Green tape reduction doesn’t work if ‘least risky’ areas
can’t be identified.
WHAT ELSE DOES IT SAY.
MAY 2014
The auditor presents more evidence that co-
regulation doesn’t work where information isn’t
shared, and objectives are not congruent.
Value of securities held to cover rehabilitation has
increased, but is still not enough.
NRM and EHP aren’t sharing this information with
each other, or the public.
WHAT ELSE DOES IT SAY.
MAY 2014
• Targeting regulatory activity toward priority areas is the only way to be effective, when resources are constrained and your legislation is seen as ‘green tape’.
• Monitoring and information management are critical to achieving effective risk-based regulation.
• Where two agencies are struggling with a task, then it is better to give the whole role to the less-weak of the two.
The comments on these slides are the views of Tim Kirby, Sydney.
You should always read the report itself before putting your reputation, or any money on the line.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN.
Tim Kirby, Sydney CA, CIA, LA-EMS
au.linkedin.com/in/timkirbysydney
MAY 2014