Westacott slams activist actions to block major projects

Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott will say the environmental appeals processes that make it too easy for activists to stymie projects.

Business Council Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott. Picture: Jane Dempster

Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott will say mining and agriculture “are not the old economy” as she condemns environmental ­appeals processes that make it too easy for activists to stymie ­projects.

The head of the big business peak lobby will deliver a speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday where she will call for an industry policy that will identify “10 places” in the regions that can be developed into business hubs.

She will also set out a defence of the future of the resources and agriculture industries, declaring there is opportunity for growth in traditional sectors while saying the environmental appeals process is operating with a “lack of common sense”.

“We need to remember existing industries that power our economy like mining, oil and gas and agriculture are not the old economy,” Ms Westacott will say. “Resource management is a capability that powers up many companies across many industries. It involves highly skilled people using efficient machinery, continually innovating and harnessing new technology.

“Our resources industry also generates an incredible value and supply chain — mining services and engineering services.”

Warning there are “competitive alternatives to buying Australian resources”, Ms Westacott will call for an overhaul of enterprise agreements and environmental approvals processes of projects.

“We should look at making sure enterprise agreements run for the length of a greenfield project,” Ms Westacott will say.

“In terms of planning approvals for major projects, we should look at why multiple agencies, with multiple timeframes, with multiple requests cause delay after delay. “Guidelines for an environmental impact statement must be clear. If a major project complies, it should be a complying development.”

Ms Westacott will endorse Scott Morrison’s push to develop an online system to reduce approval times for major projects by between six and 18 months. “You also have to question the lack of common sense of our appeals system which allows a small group of people in a completely different part of the country to disrupt and stop a major project that has absolutely nothing to do with them.

“These are people who have never lived in these communities and are never going to live in these communities telling a regional community what projects they can and cannot have.”

Calling gas the “obvious transition fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”, Ms Westacott will repeat her call for state governments to review bans on gas exploration.

“Gas represents huge opportunities for jobs and regional development,” she will say. “The LNG industry has supercharged parts of the Australian economy.’’