Ashburton Salt gains lead agency approval

The Ashburton Salt project received a boost recently when Premier Mark McGowan, as Public Sector Management Minister, approved the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) to be the lead agency for the project.

JTSI is the Lead Agency for major resource and industry infrastructure proposals in Western Australia. Projects assigned to JTSI have been assessed as being of being significant or of strategic importance to the State.

K+S Salt Australia Managing Director Gerrit Gödecke welcomed the news.

“Lead agency status means the same project team can help us deal with many different government departments and their respective processes,“ Mr Gödecke said.

“As well as the environemtal approval process, we need to deal with processes to obtain approvals for roads, ports and mining operations.

“Dealing directly with JTSI does not mean we bypass these processes, but instead their expert advice will ensure we have approached the right people with the right information.

“I am grateful for the level of support shown by the Western Australian government for Ashburton Salt and I look forward to dealing with JTSI as the project progresses, ” said Mr Gödecke.

Mr Gödecke met Premier of Western Australia recently and thanked him personally for the government’s support.