The state government has poured $14 million into the environmental approvals system as part of its reforms to accelerate the process for major projects.
The state government has poured $14 million into the environmental approvals system as part of its reforms to accelerate the process for major projects.
The funding will go towards additional staffing at the Environmental Protection Authority and the Office of the Appeals Convenor, aiming to reduce backlogs and speed up decisions.
It comes after a state government-commissioned review made 34 recommendations on improving the WA environmental approvals system.
Environment Minister Reece Whitby said the $14 million investment was good for the environment and for businesses.
"Not only does it mean Western Australia's environmental assessment agencies are better resourced to provide high-quality environmental decisions, but it also means investors will receive greater certainty and quicker decisions," he said.
Other reforms already announced include enabling government regulators to process and issue approvals while EPA assessments were underway and expanding the EPA's board membership.
"We've overhauled WA's environmental approvals system to fast-track approvals while maintaining the highest environmental standards in the world," Premier Roger Cook said.
"This resourcing boost will help our approvals agencies to clear the backlog of approvals and deliver faster outcomes for project proponents across the state."
Opposition Environment spokesperson Neil Thomson said the government was not pro development.
“What we've seen in Western Australia is decline in the amount of exploration in the last two years, that has been a direct result of the failed Aboriginal cultural heritage act that had to be repealed," he said.
"It comes out with an announcement for $14 million for more bureaucrats.
“It just shows that Roger Cook, the premier, has no leadership across this issue, and he thinks he can solve the problem with more bureaucracy that won't solve the problem.
“What we need is more decisions for Western Australians.”
However, Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief economist Aaron Morey said how the state's approval reforms would tie in with the ongoing federal government plan looked uncertain.
"The federal government is currently trying to update and strengthen its environmental laws, essentially because it doesn't trust Western Australia to manage its own environmental assessments," he said.
"There's a lot of uncertainty at the moment around exactly how those laws would look."
Tieing in his commentary with another state government announcement on the Westport project this morning, Mr Morey said the state's approvals reform would benefit the $7.2 billion port plan.
"Projects like this unlock a world of opportunity for WA business, and it's important we get the balance right," he said.
"They [federal environmental plans] will be finalised either prior to the coming election or shortly after that election, and it just serves as another timely reminder about why we need sensible environmental laws, sensible laws that balance the environment with the economic and the social benefits that projects like this exist."
CCIWA has backed the state government's overhaul of its environmental approval laws after releasing its Green Web report that outlined the reduction of red tape.
However, CCIWA has called on the federal goverment to abandon its Nature Positive Bill, which proposes a new national body to oversee environmental approvals.