Dams Safety NSW Board Meeting No 9 - 28 July 2020
Location: Remote via Microsoft Teams
Time 9.30am to 1.30pm
Invitees - Ross Carter (Chair), Alex Fisher (Deputy Chair), Eric de Rooy (Member), Shane McGrath, Rob O'Neill, John Stacpoole, Chris Salkovic (CEO Dams Safety NSW), Peter Skehan (Secretariat)
Dam Safety NSW staff attendees - Margaret Hynes (Capability Manager), Peter Boyd (Governance & Assurance Manager), Asim Chohan (Operations Manager), Kristina Resanceff
Minutes: Peter Skehan
Apologies: John Stacpoole (Member)
Approved: 25 August 2020
| Item | Decision and Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Appointed Members only discussion Item opened to appointed Members only. |
| 2 | Acknowledgement to country and welcome The Chair acknowledged the traditional owners and welcomed all in attendance. Members requested that agenda items be re-ordered to prioritise key issues |
| 3 | Conflicts of Interest No conflicts of interest registered |
| 4 | Minutes and actions from previous meeting Minutes and actions approved |
| 5 | DSNSW reports Item elevated in the Agenda at Member request. The CEO committed to presenting a quarterly update regarding Dams above the safety threshold and Operations and Safety trend indicators. Dams above Safety Threshold Members suggested changes for the operations team to make when classifying dams above the safety threshold and emphasised the importance of tracking movements and trends over time. Action -20202807-1: Asim Chohan to update dams above safety threshold table as per members’ recommendations. Quarterly operations update Action -20202807-2: Asim Chohan to amend the quarterly operations update as per members’ recommendations. Safety Trend indicators Members indicated that elements around leadership and governance, risk review and continual improvement, organisational systems and support should also be included in the Safety Trend Indicators Action -20202807-3: CEO to update safety trend indicators as per members’ recommendations. Updated document to be placed in Members’ Under Review Folder’ for review and comment. Action -20202807-4: CEO to re-present Safety Trend Indicators for a detailed discussion at a future meeting |
| 6 | Strategic Risk Deep Dive: Emergency Management Item elevated in the Agenda at Member request. The primary risk presented was: ‘DSNSW doesn’t respond effectively to a major safety incident’ Members agreed that DSNSW should also be engaging with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and any other regulators that may have a significant overlap in responsibilities. |
| 7 | Key messaging – funding model consultation Item elevated in the Agenda at Member request. Action -20202807-5: Key messaging to be updated as per members recommendations and place in Members’ Under Review’ Folder for review out of session |
| 8 | O&M guideline Item elevated in the Agenda at Member request. Members decided that they were not ready to approve for consultation the O&M plan in its current form. It did not reflect the shift in regulation envisaged under the Act, from the previous more prescriptive approach to a more outcomes-based approach that placed responsibility clearly with dam owners. Action -20202807-6: Peter Boyd to update the O&M guideline as per members recommendations and place in Members’ Under Review’ Folder for review out of session. |
| 9 | CEO Update Action -20202807-7: CEO to present full report on Liddell Ash Dam when available. Action- 20202807-8: Asim Chohan to prioritise the TRA at Liddell Ash Dam. Strategic Risk The possible duplication or overlap of responsibilities with the Resources Regulator regarding dam failure was discussed. Stakeholder engagement activities Members expressed a desire to have monthly updates on all stakeholder engagement activities, noting that trends and month on month change were of specific interest. Finance/Delegations Members outlined their preference for receiving sufficiently detailed financial reports each meeting. Action -20202807-9: CEO to provide a full financial report at future meetings. |
| 10 | Prioritisation of Audits Carried over to next meeting |
| 11 | General Business: CEO PDP, Report into VIC Water Regulatory Regime Members approved the CEO PDP. Members requested that any lessons and issues for DSNSW that might arise from the Victorian Water Regulatory Regime report be provided as a discussion paper for a future meeting. Action -20202807-10: CEO to prepare a discussion paper on Victoria’s review of their Dams Safety Framework. Action -20202807-11: Secretariat to develop new standing agenda and place in Members’ Under Review’ Folder for review out of session |
| 12 | Meeting appraisal and actions Alex Fisher provided an appraisal of the meeting. Members discussed the potential of having an off-site meeting to visit dam owners in November 2020 and were supportive provided Covid-19 requirements could be met Next meeting: 25 August 2020. Remote |