Approval performance improved in the June quarter 2026, particularly across environmental approvals, while tenure assessments continued to perform strongly. Programme of Work (PoW) performance recovered significantly compared with performance in previous quarters, with 96 per cent of applications finalised within target timeframes. Mining Development and Closure Proposal (MDCP) performance also improved as assessment processes matured following implementation of the new framework. Native Vegetation Clearing Permit (NVCP) performance remained below target but improved to 24 per cent, more than double the results achieved in the September and December quarters 2025, alongside continued reductions in assessment backlogs.
Tenure application performance remained consistently strong throughout the reporting period and in the June quarter. Exploration Licences achieved 97 per cent of assessments within approved timeframes, Prospecting Licences 98 per cent, Mining Leases 97 per cent, Miscellaneous Licences and other tenure applications 96 per cent, and Petroleum Tenure applications 89 per cent. These results demonstrate DMPE’s ability to maintain timely regulatory decision-making and support investment certainty across the resources sector.
While environmental approval performance for 2025–26 was affected by increased application volumes, implementation of the MDCP framework, resource constraints and increasing assessment complexity, the June quarter results indicate that assessment timeliness and backlog management are improving. Strong gains in PoW performance, improving MDCP assessment outcomes and continued progress in reducing NVCP backlogs demonstrate the effectiveness of actions implemented throughout the year. At the same time, tenure application categories continued to exceed target timeframes, highlighting DMPE’s ability to maintain strong regulatory service delivery while responding to changing operational and regulatory demands.
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