State Development's Key Lead Agency Role

The Department of State Development is the lead agency for major resource, industry and infrastructure projects, in the State Government’s new Lead Agency Framework announced by Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett  as part of a continuing overhaul and improvement of project approvals processes.

The Premier said the new lead agency framework would work by determining specific government departments as the first point of call for a project.

Under the framework, the Department’s responsibilities include:
• Lead project proponent role for identified major industry infrastructure projects (State Initiatives)
• Lead project facilitation role for:
      - new projects or expansions of existing projects where the proposed investment is significant or of strategic importance, including expansions under existing State Agreements 
      - very large and/or complex projects with particular strategic importance to the Government
• Project selection based on listed criteria
• Contact point for Infrastructure Australia across government

The relevant department will help the proponent through the approvals process throughout agencies, providing the proponent with a custom level of service depending on the size, scale and significance of the project.

The lead agency framework means that proponents will know which agency is dealing with their proposal and receives a custom level of service. This ensures smaller developers are able to gain the necessary approvals.

The Premier said the new process would be streamlined without compromising environmental, heritage and planning approvals.

He said this reform would ensure that the fragmented approach previously taken to approvals is rectified. and  would lead to more responsive and co-ordinated services.

The Premier also announced that the Government would introduce on-line monitoring of approvals for any project, including smaller, less complex projects, to allow proponents to see where their application is at and enable government to monitor what stage proponents are at in their submission of relevant material for approval.

In addition the Government is preparing legislation to streamline and reduce duplications in processes for: new connections to key rail and port infrastructure; environmental; planning; and land use approvals. 

More detailed guidelines are available from the Department's Lead Agency Framework Page.