I will present how we are clarifying who is a ‘suitably qualified expert’ to provide impact assessments for major projects in NSW.
How we are responding to public misunderstanding about what to trust, by clarifying who they should trust.
In NSW we have been establishing a Use of Experts model to improve the credibility of impact assessments of major projects. With most major projects requiring five to ten subject-specific expert reports appended to an environmental impact statement, we have been looking very carefully at how defining 'suitably qualified experts' can strengthen impact assessment quality and better serve the public interest.
We have been using a six-part model to further clarifying who is a ‘suitably qualified expert’ to provide social impact assessments, aboriginal cultural heritage impact assessments and other subject-specific assessments.
The reform is being delivered in partnership with Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) and other professional bodies.
Delivery is structured around key strategic goals including: building professional body ownership; building practitioner pride and responsibility; building stakeholder respect; refining assessment needs; and building foundational structures and processes. The long term aim is to improve both professional practice and assessment outcomes.
While we have presented the Use of Experts model at EIANZ conferences in 2026, approaches are evolving quickly to meet stakeholders needs.
Tim Kirby, FCA, PFIIA, and MEIANZ is a natural resource management and assurance professional with experience across many NSW and Australian Government natural resource management programs.