Howard Pushing To "Streamline" Australian Mining Approval Process - Australian

[hatrack]

Maybe that's how they'll cut carbon emissions - by making it easier to approve more coal mines! Of course!

PRIME Minister John Howard has called for an overhaul of mining industry regulations to speed up approval of new projects.
Mr Howard said he had written to state and territory leaders asking them to consider three "sensible" changes to Australia's mining and energy export industry.

His plan includes setting up a "one-stop shop" for approvals, increasing the speed at which Aboriginal heritage issues are dealt with and spreading the liability for mine accidents.

Mr Howard said Australia's regulatory framework already worked well and compared favourably with the rest of the world, but could be improved. "I can't see any reason why (the states) wouldn't (agree), because they're common sense proposals to make a good system even better," he told the ABC.

In particular, Mr Howard wants the states to change occupational health and safety requirements so responsibility for mine accidents are not focused solely on mine managers, as is presently the case in some jurisdictions. He said it was difficult to find qualified mine managers because so much criminal responsibility was focused on them and not on others who should share the blame for an accident.

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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20982416-601,00.html