2025 Policy Priorities
​Legislation & Regulation

Our sector is extensively regulated and responsibility for adherence to legislative and regulatory requirements is recognised as a non-negotiable obligation by all member companies.

In 2025, SACOME will continue to advocate for efficient regulatory frameworks on behalf of the South Australian resources sector and ensure that regulators are provided with an informed operational understanding of our sector and its many complexities.

Native Title Agreement Reform

SACOME will continue to work with the South Australian Government, the SA Native Title Service and Traditional Owner Groups to drive further reform.

In 2024, SACOME held a series of collaborative workshops with members to scope options for Native Title Agreement reform.
Member companies continue to raise concerns regarding time and cost associated with reaching agreement on cultural heritage and land access agreements. Impact is particularly acute for smaller operators.

The South Australian Government, SACOME, the SA Native Title Service and traditional owner groups undertook significant work in the 2000s to develop Indigenous Land Use Agreements, a major land access reform at the time.

The Department of Energy & Mining conducted the Stronger Partners, Stronger Futures consultation process between 2016 and 2018 to address the gap for managing early exploration whilst considering Aboriginal heritage and native title interests.
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As a priority for 2025, SACOME will undertake a program of work aimed at driving further Native Title Agreement reform through:

• Review of current processes and time periods to progress native title applications from initial application through to permit award;
  
• Consolidating an understanding of the challenges faced by proponents engaging with Native Title Parties; and
  
• Advocating for reintroduction of forums that allow the South Australian Government, resources sector proponents and Native 
  Title parties to meet and engage, with a focus on collective objectives including Indigenous Participation opportunities.

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Biodiversity Act Engagement

The new Biodiversity Act represents major reform and SACOME's 2025 advocacy will ensure that the South Australian resources sector’s views are fully represented.

​The Department for Environment & Water (DEW) announced development of a new Biodiversity Act in early 2024 and consulted extensively with SACOME members over the course of the past year to inform design of the proposed legislation.

The consultation has led to greater clarity regarding legislative intent, which should ultimately be reflected in the draft legislation.
As a next step, DEW has released draft legislation for stakeholder review in early 2025.
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Given the new Biodiversity Act represents a major reform and is intended to operate as the State’s ‘key piece of environmental legislation’, ensuring that the South Australian resources sector’s views are fully represented; and that the proposed new legislation does not create unnecessary regulatory duplication, where effective safeguards already exist, has been set as a key policy priority for 2025