The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA (CME) welcomes today’s passage through the Legislative Council of the State Development Bill, which will streamline and accelerate approvals for priority projects and development precincts.
CME Chief Executive Officer Aaron Morey said the legislation set a strong platform ahead of a critical year for WA’s energy transition and efforts to attract new future-facing industries.
“This Bill is a clear signal of intent. Western Australia is open for business and prepared to move at the pace required to compete for international investment,” Mr Morey said.
“There is so much opportunity ahead of us but realising that potential requires a sustained focus on boosting our offering to global markets.
“One of the most important ways we can do that is by bringing down energy costs and speeding up the delivery of project-ready industrial land – two objectives this Bill will help us achieve faster without compromising on our world-leading environmental, social and heritage outcomes.”
The Bill received bipartisan support, an outcome Mr Morey applauded for the message it sent potential investors.
“CME called for rapid passage of this critical Bill and Parliament has delivered,” Mr Morey said.
“Having our major political parties on the same page on legislation like this enhances Western Australia’s reputation as a stable and reliable trade partner,” Mr Morey said.
“In an increasingly turbulent period for geopolitics, our stability is one of our greatest strengths. It’s a feature of doing business in Western Australia we should be proud of, and a feature all lawmakers should strive to uphold.”
The Bill establishes a mechanism to coordinate regulatory processes across multiple State Government agencies.
That alignment is essential for removing duplication and materially reducing assessment timeframes, which in turn is a critical enabler to attract investment in both new and existing industries, as well as coordinate the land corridors needed for transmission lines and the infrastructure required to make our Strategic Industrial Areas project ready.
With the State Development Bill set to enter law, Mr Morey said it was vital the same focus and intent was applied to negotiating the bilateral agreements needed for WA to undertake Federal assessments and approvals under recently passed reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
“Passage of the State Development Bill means we’re entering 2026 with the wind in our sails,” Mr Morey said.
“Quickly getting a bilateral agreement in place would significantly add to that momentum and go a long way to cementing Western Australia’s reputation as one of the world’s leading resources jurisdictions.”
Media contacts:
Josh Zimmerman j.zimmerman@cmewa.com / 0404 947 719
Natasha Mutch n.mutch@cmewa.com / 0435 383 382