Review of Environmental Protection Act completed

The review of Western Australia's Environmental Protection Act is now complete.

The report was released for public comment today by Environment Minister Bob Pearce.

A three-man independent advisory committee was established earlier this year to review the Act.

It was chaired by lawyer John Ramsay from the Department of Environment and Planning in Tasmania, and included industrialist Harold Clough and former Australian Conservation Foundation co-ordinator Neil Blake.

As a requirement of the 1986 legislation, the Act had to be reviewed after five years.

During the review, the committee was required to consider three key matters:

·         the operation and effectiveness of the Act generally;

·         the effectiveness of the operations of the Authority; and -

·         the need for the continuation of the functions of the Authority.

It received 149 submissions from individuals, groups and organisations from around the State.

The committee also consulted a further 31 individuals and groups.

The report is open for public comment for six weeks, closing Friday, November 20.

Any comments should be forwarded to the Environment Minister's office, 18th Floor, Allendale Square, 77 St George's Terrace, Perth 6000.