The Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has introduced Resources Victoria, the overarching entity responsible for regulating the State’s resources sector.
From July 31, Resources Victoria will act as the central body within the Victorian Government responsible for an array of responsibilities such as policy development and reform and regulatory approval coordination.
The new body will include the Geological Survey of Victoria, which is the State’s geoscience agency that is responsible for understanding the State’s geological framework through regional geoscientific investigations, particularly to enable the informed and responsible management of State-owned earth resources.
The new entity will also include the Earth Resources Regulator. Earth Resources is one of many services provided by DEECA, and the Earth Resources Regulator is the State’s regulator of exploration, mining, quarrying, petroleum, recreational prospecting and other earth resource activities.
Resources Victoria is expected to play a key role in:
- regulating the resources industry to effectively manage risks to the environment and community
- managing access to the State’s resources for current and future use
- policy development and regulatory reform
- regulatory approval coordination
- regional geoscientific investigations and data provision.
“Creating Resources Victoria helps signal the importance of our minerals and quarry sectors in helping the state grow and transition,” DEECA said.
“Resources Victoria will help drive increases in the mineral and quarry materials we all need for a vibrant state-wide economy and to support the construction sector, new infrastructure and the renewable energy transition.”