NSW Government seeks feedback on Explosives Act

The New South Wales (NSW) Government is seeking feedback on the Explosives Act to ensure it’s meeting industry needs while sufficiently protecting workers, the public and property from unsafe explosive and explosive precursor use.

It comes as part of a Statutory Review — required every five years under Section 38 of the Explosives Act 2003 — to ensure the policy objectives and its terms for achieving them are still valid and appropriate.

In particular, the government is seeking comments on the Act’s licensing framework, rights of review, offences and penalties and compliance and enforcement.

To help workers and stakeholders get their heads around the Act, the government has released a discussion paper, with background information, the Act’s scope, its main elements and questions about these elements and issues arising from them. However, the issues and questions raised in the discussion paper are not exhaustive and the government is inviting feedback on any matters that will help improve the regulatory framework established by the Act.

Workers and stakeholders can submit comments via an online form or email until 5 pm, 16 August 2019. Once the consultation period closes, all feedback will be considered and a report will be issued to the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation. The report will be discussed in parliament before 29 October 2019.

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