WA environment watchdog boss resigns

The chair of the WA Environmental Protection Authority Matthew Tonts has resigned for a senior job at Curtin University in another upheaval for the state’s environmental approval process.

Tonts leads the authority that provides independent advice to the environment minister who makes the final call on what projects can proceed, and what conditions are placed on them to protect the environment.

WA EPA chair Matthew Tonts will leave after three years of his five-year term.Credit: WA EPA

He is three years into a five-year term at the EPA and will leave in April to become provost at Curtin University, a position second only to the vice chancellor who runs the university.

Tonts said he was proud of his time at the EPA when it faced some of the complex project assessments and policy challenges in its 50-year history.

His predecessor Tom Hatton struck trouble with the McGowan Labor government in 2019 when the EPA wanted all large new projects to have net-zero carbon emissions. The EPA withdrew the proposal but replaced it with a requirement to gradually reduce emissions to zero by 2050.

“WA’s environmental impact assessment process under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 leads the nation on the assessment and regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from significant proposals,” Tonts said.

The former UWA geography professor also pointed to increased attention to the importance of urban biodiversity and advice to protect the Exmouth Gulf as achievements during his tenure.

Tont’s departure comes three months after the Cook Labor government released a quick seven-week review on WA’s environmental approval system that recommended sweeping changes.

A point of difference was Premier Roger Cook wanting the EPA to recognise the government’s priorities as laid out in a statement of intent. Tont responded that current legislation stipulated the EPA was not subject to direction from the government.

WA’s resources sector has been concerned about delays in environmental approvals for major projects for some time, as the scale, complexity and number of proposals seeking assessment increased while bureaucrats serving the EPA left for more pay in the private sector.

Rebecca Tomkinson, chief executive of mining and gas lobby group the Chamber of Minerals and Energy chief executive, said in October the approvals process was one of the greatest impediments to large-scale projects in WA.

Tonts departure is the latest in a number of key changes to the players in WA environmental approvals system.

In November, Emma Gaunt who ran the Office of the Appeals Convenor that hears appeals to the EPA’s decisions before they are forwarded to the environment minister resigned after nine years in the job.

In December, environment minister Reece Whitby had the energy portfolio added to his responsibilities. Whitby said at the time he did not see any conflict from energy projects, including state-owned ones, coming to him for environmental approval.

In February, respected bureaucrat Tim Marney was appointed WA’s first coordinator general of environment approvals after six months as chief economist of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy.

In recent months, two new members have been appointed to the EPA’s five-strong board, and the government will now be seeking a replacement for Tonts.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.