Dams Safety NSW's Strategic Plan for 2022-2027 has been developed to move us toward ensuring dams safety risks are acceptable to the community and add value to our stakeholders.
Dams Safety NSW has developed three goals and nine strategies to achieve our Mission and Vision.
We have made a firm commitment to be future-focused, confident and collaborative in the next phase of our growth. In the next five years we want to:
- make it easier for dam owners to comply with NSW dam safety laws
- encourage voluntary compliance
- reinforce dam owner accountability
- engage effectively with stakeholders to promote transparency and accountability
The plan is designed to continue building on our journey to become a leading regulator.
Vision
Safe dams for NSW
Mission
To empower, support and regulate dam owners in managing dam safety risks for the NSW community
Our values
Trust, Service, Integrity, Accountability
Our behaviours
- We will be open and transparent
- We will establish cooperative and collaborative relationships with stakeholders to promote trust
- We will listen and be responsive to requests
- We will publish our performance results in a timely manner
Goal 1: Ensure dam safety risk is acceptable to the community
1.1 Develop a comprehensive profile of dams in NSW
We will continually identify and assess potential dams for declaration and maintain an accurate database of declared dams in NSW.
1.2 Engage with the community about acceptable dam safety risk
We will consult the community on dam safety risks including existing and potential safety thresholds.
1.3 Ensure dam owners are managing their dams’ safety risk
We will audit declared dam owners in line with our compliance priorities and respond with appropriate regulatory action where required. We will provide timely advice to planning authorities about the potential risks of mining activities to dams, and work with dam owners to bring NSW declared dams below the safety threshold.
| Key Performance Indicator | Target | Refers to sub-goal |
|---|---|---|
% Dams above safety threshold demonstrate acceptable progress against agreed actions | 100% | 3 |
| % Dams with known risk ratings | 100% by November 2026 | 3 |
| No. of dam owners demonstrating So Far As Is Reasonably Practicable (SFAIRP) analysis | Increase | 3 |
Goal 2: Dam owners are capable, accountable and transparent in managing dam safety
2.1 Make it easy for dam owners to comply with NSW dams’ safety laws
We will deliver targeted and user-friendly information and education to make our regulatory expectations clear and increase the level of compliance with dams safety laws.
2.2 Reinforce dam owner accountability
We will engage dam owner senior leadership during audits and education activities. We will conduct enforcement activity where necessary to deter and rectify non-compliant behaviour. We will launch a self-reporting portal for dam owners.
2.3 Support dam owners to be transparent about their dams’ safety risks
We will drive improvement in dam owners’ annual safety reporting and develop communications tools that help dam owners explain dam safety risks to their communities.
| Key Performance Indicator | Target | Refers to sub-goal |
|---|---|---|
Dam owners compliance with publishing annual safety standards report | 100% (sampled) | 2 and 3 |
% of planned education, engagement and communication activities delivered per year | 90% | 1 |
Evidence of dam owner internal audit of Dams Safety Management System (DSMS) | Increasing trend | 2 |
Goal 3: Dams Safety NSW is recognised as a fair, transparent and effective regulator
3.1 Identify and follow best practice
We will seek to continually improve our regulatory approach through regular benchmarking, striving for gains in effectiveness and efficiency, and actively engaging with the latest developments in regulatory practice.
3.2 Invest in our people
We will develop the capability of existing staff and aim to attract, retain and progress the best people through a sustainable employment model and fostering an effective organisational culture.
3.3 Demonstrate excellence in governance
We will maintain robust governance frameworks to ensure clear accountabilities and support transparent regulatory decision-making.
3.4 Engage effectively with stakeholders
We will update our stakeholder engagement strategy and seek feedback from dam owners and other stakeholders through forums, surveys and other engagements. We will increase the availability of information about dams safety, including publishing enforcement activities on our website to enhance the safety of dams in NSW.
| Key Performance Indicator | Target | Refers to sub-goal |
|---|---|---|
% staff feel they have received training and development to do their job well (NSW People Matter Employee Survey, question 3f) | 90% | 2 |
No. of high-level NSW Audit Office outcome findings from annual audit | 0 | 3 |
MRIT benchmark score (Modern Regulatory Improvement Tool) | Well established score for stakeholder & engagement, problem solving and culture & leadership by 2023 Increase in scores for all other attributes | 1 |
| Stakeholder engagement measures (2022 baseline feedback survey) | Increase in satisfaction trend | 4 |
% of staff in ongoing roles | Increase to 80% | 2 |