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The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) today welcomed the State Government's appointment of James Purtill, former Director-General of the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to the newly created position of Rehabilitation Commissioner.
QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the new commissioner brings a wealth of government and industry experience to the independent, statutory position, which follows on from the 2018 introduction of legislation establishing Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plans (PRCP) for site-specific mine sites.
"The QRC looks forward to collaborating with James Purtill on the development of technical and evidence-based information and advice to support world best practice mine site rehabilitation, and on strategies to keep the public well informed about the rehabilitation activities underway," Mr Macfarlane said.
"Queensland's mining sector is committed to progressively rehabilitating land to a state where it can be passed on safely and sustainably for the next land use, and we look forward to working with the new Rehabilitation Commissioner to achieve this goal.
"James understands how the resources sector operates, its dynamics and environmental requirements including rehabilitation, and the industry welcomes his appointment as a positive step forward for Queensland's resources sector."
Mr Macfarlane said the new commissioner's role will involve providing technical guidance to inform the administration of the PRCP framework, which will lead to greater certainty for the mining sector, the administering authority and the community.
"This new role opens up new opportunities for industry to work with government to identify ways to streamline and improve processes, and pave the way for future innovation," he said.
"It's also an opportunity for all parties to work together to show what best practice mine site rehabilitation looks like."
