Resource project approval flowcharts

Queensland’s different approval pathways for resources are complex, lengthy and sometimes overlap and duplicate similar Federal processes.

A series of 13 flowcharts have been created to visualise and understand the complexity of these processes. These flowcharts can be found below.

Resources project approval flowcharts

Streamlining these processes

It is testament to the complexity of the mining and petroleum project assessment process, that a streamlining reform process has been underway for over a decade in Queensland. This reform agenda was initiated in 2009 by the ‘Streamlining Approvals Project: mining and petroleum tenures approval process’ report (‘the Streamlining Report’) and continues in 2020 through QRC’s Streamlining Report.

The report focuses on the improvement of assessment processes, identifying areas that are duplicative or unnecessarily complex. Inefficient processes have significant impacts on the investment profile of Queensland, as they increase the cost of doing business and can create an uncertain operating environment. For governments, the impacts are unnecessary costs, consuming scarce resources that could be deployed more effectively elsewhere in the public sector. Industry has participated in a number of reform processes over the last decade with varying degrees of success (recommendations partially actioned or not fully implemented as intended).

In its latest reiteration of the Streamlining Report (June 2020), QRC seeks a commitment from government to a timely response to these issues and also to the proposed solutions outlined in the report.