Delayed

1.3 - Extractive industries transparency

This commitment will advance the OGP values of access to information and public accountability by:

providing timely, reliable, publicly available and independently verified data on the extractives industries’ contribution to the Australian economy
encouraging EITI adoption in resource-rich countries and support a level playing field for Australian companies seeking to invest in those markets
demonstrating Australia’s commitment to global transparency, anti-corruption and tackling tax avoidance; consistent with current domestic and international trends; and
supporting the extractive industries’ social licence to operate, demonstrating its commitment to transparent and accountable operations.

Steps to implementation

Implementation Step	Period	Status
Establishment of the Australian EITI Multi Stakeholder Group (MSG)	Nov 2016	Completed
Australia to apply for EITI Candidate Country status	Mar-June 2017	Delayed
Australia to publish first EITI report.	18 months after obtaining EITI Candidate Country status	Not yet commenced
Status updates for commitments are provided approximately every two months. With each update, agencies are encouraged to provide further and better particulars of the commitment and its steps to implementation, which may result in changes to timelines outlined in Australia’s first Open Government National Action Plan 2016-18.

Updated date: 10 July 2020

Current status

A Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) was established on 23 November 2016 to oversee the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) process in Australia. MSGs exist in all EITI countries and are responsible for determining how to implement EITI in a way suitable to their national circumstances.

Australia’s MSG is chaired by the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation and Science and comprises industry, government and civil society representatives. The MSG and its various expert sub-groups meet twice each year, or more often as required.

Since piloting and agreeing to implement in Australia, EITI requirements have changed substantially at subsequent meetings of the EITI Board and Global Conference. The MSG has been focused on understanding the detail and impact of requirements added since the Australian pilot.

To that end, the MSG established two new working groups to focus on new requirements for of project-level reporting and the disclosure of beneficial ownership in the extractives sector.

Additionally, following an open tender process, KPMG Australia was engaged on 7 November 2018 to undertake a gap analysis.

Delayed Milestones
The delay in Australia’s application for EITI Candidate Country status is due to delays in the review of the requirements of the 2016 EITI Standard against the Australian adapted model developed by the Australian 2014 EITI pilot. The EITI Gap Analysis Report released on 23 September 2019 identified 8 areas that may pose challenges to potential implementation of the EITI Standard in Australia. These issues would need to be considered by the Multi-Stakeholder Group, together with further requirements included in the 2019 Standard. The Multi-Stakeholder Group would need to reach consensus on an implementation model suited to Australia before Australia is in a position to submit an EITI application.

Contact

Department of Industry, Innovation and Science: EITI@industry.gov.au

Other stakeholders

Government: Department of Industry, Innovation and Science; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Taxation Office, Department of the Treasury, state and territory governments.

Non-Government: Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) with 21 voting members representing governments, the extractive industry and civil society organisations.

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1.3 - Extractive industries transparency

1.3 - Extractive industries transparency

Steps to implementation

Current status

Contact

Other stakeholders