Changes To CMA Bill Reflect Pike River Report

Changes To CMA Bill Reflect Pike River Report

Cabinet has approved further changes to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill currently before the Commerce Committee, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

A Supplementary Order Paper recommends changes to current legislation to strengthen the Bill in light of the report of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

The Royal Commission's report endorses the proposals being progressed through the current review of the Crown Minerals Regime and reflected in the Bill being considered by the Commerce Committee.

It also recommended that regulators need to collaborate to ensure that health and safety is considered as early as possible and before permits are issued, and that the Crown Minerals Regime should be changed to ensure that health and safety is an integral part of permit allocation.

The key changes set out in the Supplementary Order Paper are:

• The Minister of Energy and Resources must seek the view of the appropriate health and safety regulator and take this into account before issuing a Tier 1 exploration or mining permit.
• Tier 1 mining activities must not start until the health and safety regulator is satisfied the health and safety requirements have been met.

• Health and safety considerations will be included in the definition of "good industry practice" to recognise that health and safety, and maximising extraction of a resource, are inextricably linked.

The Commerce Committee is to announce its process for consultation on the Supplementary Order Paper in due course.

More information on the Bill

ENDS

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