The Western Australian Parliament has passed the Mining Amendment (Transfer of Royalty Administration) Bill 2025, shifting responsibility for the collection and administration of mining and petroleum royalties from the Minister for Mines and Petroleum to the Minister for Finance.
The legislation effectively transfers said functions from the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) to RevenueWA, the revenue division of the Department of Finance.
Described by Finance Minister David Michael as “mechanical in nature,” the change aims to modernise royalty administration without altering the obligations of royalty-paying businesses.
The reform applies to royalty arrangements governed by the Mining Act 1978, the Mining Regulations 1981, and around 30 State Agreement Acts.
Under the new framework, DEMIRS’ administrative role will be phased out, with its staff and processes integrated into RevenueWA’s systems.
The Mining Amendment Bill 2025 includes 11 amendments to the existing legislative framework, covering administrative improvements and procedural clarifications.
The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) CEO Warren Pearce welcomes the changes, calling them a “huge” step forward for Western Australia’s resources sector.
“These might seem like minor amendments, but they go a long way to resolving long-standing tenure issues,” says Pearce.
“Our Association has been pursuing these changes since the 2017 Forrest & Forrest Pty Ltd v Wilson & Ors High Court decision.”
Pearce also credited Minister David Michael for moving swiftly to address the legal uncertainty created by the True Fella and Blue Ribbon cases, which he said had imposed costs, created uncertainty, and threatened Western Australia’s investment appeal.
AMEC represents more than 575 member companies across the mining value chain, including explorers, emerging miners, producers, and service providers.
Mining.com.au is an associate member of AMEC.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
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