A Mining Rehabilitation Advisory Panel (MRAP) has been established under the Mining Rehabilitation Fund Act 2012. This statutory panel meets biannually to discuss and provide independent expert advice to the Director General of the department on Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF) matters. The current Panel was appointed on 10 August 2025 marking the commencement of the Panel's fifth term effective until 15 December 2027. The inaugural Panel was appointed in December 2013.
Panel members
Vern Newton - Chair
Vern Newton brings extensive experience from senior roles across the construction materials and mining sectors, with a strong background in operations, logistics, export, land development, budgeting, strategic planning, and marketing. He has been a key advocate for sustainable practices, collaborating with research institutions to foster partnerships between industry and science aimed at elevating on-ground restoration standards. His contributions have been recognized with multiple environmental accolades, including two prestigious Golden Gecko awards for the companies he has been representing.
Paul McDonald – Deputy Chair
Paul McDonald is a mining executive and process engineer with over 25 years’ leadership across resource development, operations, integrated planning, tailings, closure, and environmental domains. Known for building high-performing, multidisciplinary teams and aligning complex technical portfolios with strategic business objectives. Experienced in aligning operations with industry standards, embedding climate and closure risks into long-term planning, and driving responsible, value-driven mining practices.
Andrew Buckley
Andrew Buckley’s expertise includes extensive experience in asset planning, mine rehabilitation and strategic project management across both iron ore and coal mining operations. Andrew also has substantial leadership experience and expertise in environmental sustainability, community engagement, mine safety, risk management and mine closure.
Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison has over 20 years of experience in infrastructure planning, delivery and decision-making for a broad range of complex and State significant projects. Melissa specialises in regulatory compliance, environment and heritage approvals and stakeholder negotiations. She has also been involved with land and ecological management practices, environmental management and planning and mine site closure and rehabilitation.
Nelson Amoah
Nelson Amoah is a distinguished civil, geotechnical, and tailings engineer with over 35 years of global experience across the mining life cycle including feasibility studies, engineering, project execution, mine operations management, mine closure and rehabilitation, governance and compliance management. A recognized industry thought leader, he has played a pioneering role in advancing industry-leading practices in sustainable mine waste management, including filtered tailings and significantly contributed to responsible tailings and mine closure research.
Contact
Phone: +61 8 9222 3162
Email: MRAP@dmpe.wa.gov.au
Mining Rehabilitation Advisory Panel Meeting Communiques
The statutory panel meets biannually to discuss and provide independent expert advice to the Director General of the department on Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF) matters, please find a summary of each meeting here.
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