Leader of The Nationals WA and Shadow Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Shane Love MLA, says the release of the Glen Kelly Review confirms what Western Australia’s resources sector has been saying for years – the State’s native title and heritage system is no longer working as intended.
Mr Love said the report exposes a system plagued by delays, rising costs, inconsistent rules and poor coordination across government.
“The Kelly Review makes it clear that the current system is creating conflict, uncertainty and unnecessary expense,” Mr Love said.
“For too long, WA Labor ignored the warning signs. Explorers, farmers, local governments and Traditional Owners have all been dealing with a process that is overly complex, inconsistent and slow.”
Mr Love said one of the report’s most significant findings was that the expedited procedure under the Native Title Act is no longer operating as intended.
“The review found native title objections are increasingly being used simply to secure engagement because there are few practical alternatives available,” he said.
“When stakeholders are forced into disputes just to get to the negotiating table, something has gone wrong.”
Mr Love said the report also highlighted growing concerns about the cost and consistency of heritage surveys, with some exploration companies facing significant delays and repeated survey requirements.
“Western Australia relies on exploration to discover the next generation of mining projects, yet junior explorers are being hit with increasing costs, uncertainty and delays before a shovel ever goes in the ground,” he said.
“The report confirms that many of these issues stem from a lack of consistent standards and a lack of coordination across government.”
Mr Love said the review also acknowledged that many Prescribed Bodies Corporate are struggling to meet their growing responsibilities because they are under resourced and unsupported.
“The reality is this system is not working well for Traditional Owners either,” he said.
“The report recognises that many PBCs have been handed significant responsibilities without the funding and support needed to carry them out effectively.”
Mr Love said The Nationals WA welcomed recommendations aimed at improving transparency, reducing duplication, establishing clearer standards and delivering greater certainty for all parties.
“The report contains 25 recommendations and together they paint a picture of a system that has become unnecessarily complicated and difficult to navigate,” he said.
“What industry wants is certainty. What Traditional Owners want is meaningful engagement. What regional communities want is a system that works.”
“These objectives are not mutually exclusive.”
Mr Love said the Cook Labor Government must now explain how it intends to respond to the review and provide a clear timetable for reform.
“This report was handed to the Government months ago and it took sustained pressure from The Nationals WA to have it released,” he said.
“The findings cannot simply be filed away and forgotten.”
“The Government now has a responsibility to act on these recommendations and restore confidence in a system that is critical to Western Australia’s resources sector and regional economy.”
