Frequently asked questions - National Strategic Plan for Asbestos Awareness and Management 2019-2023 (NSP 2019-2023)

The NSP 2019-2023 is an Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency (ASSEA) national plan. It aims to eliminate asbestos-related diseases by preventing exposure to asbestos and ensuring a coordinated approach to asbestos awareness, management and removal. Further information about the NSP 2019-2023 can be found on the ASSEA website.

The NSP 2019-2023 is consistent with the Government’s policy on occupational safety and health, and recognises the serious health risks posed by exposure to asbestos and the importance of implementing measures to control those risks, so far as is practicable.

On 9 November 2020, the WA Government endorsed the NSP 2019-2023 targets one to seven (targets eight and nine are the responsibility of the Federal Government) to identify and safely remove asbestos containing material (ACM) from publicly-owned buildings, if required.

WA State and Local government departments, agencies, authorities and government enterprises (government organisations) are required to identify and assess the risks associated with asbestos-containing materials within government-controlled buildings, land and infrastructure.

The seven national NSP 2019-2023 targets applicable to WA are:

1. Increased awareness of the health risks of ACMs and where to source information: all tradespersons whose work brings them into contact with ACMs; all workers in workplaces with ACMs; 80 per cent of homeowners and occupiers, 80 per cent of property managers and real estate agents
2. All governments have identified and assessed the risks associated with ACMs in publicly-owned and controlled buildings, land and infrastructure
3. All jurisdictions have schedules and processes for the prioritised safe removal according to risk of ACMs from public buildings and infrastructure, and safe disposal of that material. Government organisations are expected to report against target 3, as far as practicable.
4. All regulators have in place and have implemented asbestos compliance programs
5. All commercial buildings which are required by law to maintain asbestos registers, have up-to-date registers and management plans that are actively being implemented
6. All regulators are investigating, prosecuting and penalising serious known breaches of asbestos-related laws including illegal waste disposal and importation
7. Easier and cheaper disposal of asbestos waste.

The WA NSP 2019-2023 reporting template outlines which questions are applicable to certain government organisations.

• Targets 1 to 3: Applicable to all government organisations. If your government organisation has no ACM within its buildings, land or infrastructure, completion of questions under Targets 1-3 is not necessary.  
• Target 4:  Only applicable to:

Department of Health
Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS)
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER)
Local Government Authorities.

• Target 5: Only applicable to the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS).
• Target 6:  Only applicable to:

Department of Health
Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS)
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER)
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
Local Government Authorities.

• Target 7: Only applicable to:

Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER)
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
Department of Finance
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
Department of Health (can also respond for Local Government Authorities).

• Targets 8 and 9: Not applicable to Western Australia. Only applicable to the national Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency (ASSEA).

If you have a question about the NSP 2019-2023 targets, please contact ASSEA.

Questions about the NSP 2019-2023 reporting requirements can be emailed to nspaam@demirs.wa.gov.au.

It is expected that government organisations will use existing budget allocations to meet the NSP 2019-2023 targets. However, if a government organisation can clearly demonstrate that extra funding is required, it can make a submission to the WA Department of Treasury.

No. The NSP 2019-2023 targets are ‘stretch’ targets and ASSEA has not provided specific deadlines.

NSP 2019-2023 reporting requirements

All WA State and Local government departments, agencies, authorities and government enterprises (government organisations) are required to complete the WA NSP 2019-2023 reporting template, even if the answers are ‘N/A’. This will ensure transparency from all WA government organisations in relation to asbestos awareness, management and removal.

You may wish to contact DoF to discuss this matter further. DEMIRS cannot advise of DoF’s preferred NSP 2019-2023 reporting strategy.

Please submit separate WA NSP 2019-2023 reporting templates for each government organisation. Do not collate them into one.

Six and 12 monthly submissions should be sent to nspaam@demirs.wa.gov.au as soon as possible, by no later than the following dates:

DEMIRS officers are working to very tight deadlines in collating all the WA information to provide to ASSEA, so extensions will not be granted.

DEMIRS will be sending out reminder emails well in advance of the deadlines, so that government organisations can ensure they meet the submission deadlines.

You can download the template online.

If you have a question about the WA NSP 2019-2023 reporting template, please email nspaam@demirs.wa.gov.au.

All other queries about the NSP 2019-2023 should be referred to ASSEA.

The submission of your government organisation’s WA NSP 2019-2023 reporting template to DEMIRS will require ‘delegated authority’ approval. For example, in your organisation, the delegated authority could be the DG, CEO or Executive.

It is very important to ensure the relevant person in your organisation checks the template for accuracy and approves its release, prior to submission to ASSEA.

No. The WA NSP 2019-2023 reporting template must be filled in completely. DEMIRS will not accept any other form of submission.

No. DEMIRS will only accept the WA NSP 2019-2023 reporting template. There is a section at the end of the template, ‘Other asbestos-related activities’, where you can provide supplementary information.

You can view ASSEAs previous NSP Final Report for 2014-2018 and NSP 2019-23 Mid-term Progress Report to understand what content might appear in ASSEAs NSP Final Report for 2019-2023.

Any questions specific to reporting should be directed to ASSEA.

To advise DEMIRS of new contacts, email nspaam@demirs.wa.gov.au.

The NSP 2019-2023 is consistent with the Western Australian Government policy on occupational safety and health.

On 9 November 2020, the Western Australian Government endorsed targets one to seven (targets eight and nine are Federal targets) of the NSP 2019-2023 which aims to eliminate asbestos-related diseases in Australia by preventing exposure to asbestos fibres.

Each Western Australian State and local government department, agency, authority and government enterprise is required to report on its progress in achieving the relevant targets of the NSP 2019-2023. Agencies may wish to include an overview of activities relating to:

• identifying and assessing the risks associated with asbestos containing material from within government owned and controlled buildings, land and infrastructure;
• developing and maintaining plans for the risk-based management of asbestos containing materials, which includes removal where required; and
• asbestos compliance and enforcement (such as improvement notice, prohibition notice, prosecution action etc.); and
• asbestos awareness, including training, publications and guidance materials.

The reporting of progress against the relevant targets of the NSP 2019-2023 is not restricted to the suggested points listed above. Agencies may also report on other aspects of their performance.  

For further information on the National Strategic Plan for Asbestos Awareness and Management 2019-2023 targets, visit the  Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency website.

Consultation in relation to the strategy and reporting for Western Australia’s implementation of the NSP 2019-2023 occurs through the Across Agency Asbestos Group (AAAG), which meets regularly throughout the year. AAAG is involved in developing and monitoring planned activities to ensure a coordinated and systematic approach to asbestos management.

The Across Agency Asbestos Group is chaired by the WorkSafe Western Australia Commissioner and comprised of representatives from the following organisations:

• Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)
• Department of Communities
• Department of Education
• Department of Finance
• Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES)
• Department of Health
• Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC)
• Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS)
• Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH)
• Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER)
• Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA)

If your organisation is not represented on the AAAG, you may email the AAAG at WHSCommittees@demirs.wa.gov.au.