Dams Safety NSW Board Meeting No 17 - 18 May 2021
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams
Time 9.30am to 1.30pm
Invitees - Ross Carter (Chair), Alex Fisher (Deputy Chair) Shane McGrath, Rob O'Neill, John Stacpoole, Chris Salkovic, Margaret Hynes, Jacqui Page (Secretariat), Peter Boyd, Asim Chohan. Guest - Akber Akber
Minutes: Jacqui Page
Apologies: Nil
Item | Decision and Action |
---|---|
1 | 1.1 Appointed members only 1.2 Acknowledgement of country and welcome 1.3 Apologies - Nil 1.4 Conflicts of Interest / Disclosure of Interest Disclosure of interest: Member, Shane McGrath is commencing a project to inspect Tallawara Ash dams. Disclosure of interest: Member, Shane McGrath is presenting a webinar to WaterNSW on behalf of ANCOLD. 1.5 Previous minutes and actions Minutes and actions were accepted following a couple of amendments. |
2 | Strategy/Stakeholder Matters for Decision 2.1 Very low and low consequence dams over 15m Peter Boyd presented a paper outlining the options, advantages and disadvantages of dedeclaring dams over 15m with a very low and low consequence category. Members agreed to accept Option 2: Either de-declare dams already declared or not declare dams that haven't been declared, where that dam is more than 15m high and subject to:
Action: 20211805-01 - Dams Safety NSW to prepare a paper, for information only, and present at future meeting on: consequence category assessment internal review process and letter for declared dam owners. Action: 20211805-02 - Dams Safety NSW to prepare a simple table detailing cost differential and present to Members at the next meeting. Action: 20211805-03 - Dams Safety NSW to check what regulatory powers are available to require dam owners to regularly check the consequence of failure of their dams and report back to Members. Action: 20211805-04 – Dam Safety NSW to develop and produce guidance material on what constitutes a ‘robust’ CCA. Matters for discussion 2.2 Strategic risk deep dive – capacity and capability Peter Boyd presented the strategic deep dive – capacity and capability. Action: 20211805-05 - Dams Safety NSW to make changes recommended by Members. 2.3 Coal Ash Dam inquiry recommendations Chris Salkovic presented a report in response to the Coal Ash Dam inquiry recommendations. Of the 16 recommendations, two related to Dams Safety NSW. Action: 20211805-06 - Dams Safety NSW to reframe management response to recommendation 5 as per Members recommendations. 2.4 Program mandate The draft program mandate was presented by Chris Salkovic. Members raised some concerns about core funding and agreed that the mandate be updated to reflect their concerns. Action: 20211805-07 - Dams Safety NSW to update program mandate with Members’ recommendations. Action: 20211805-08 - Dams Safety NSW to provide progress updates on program mandate to Members at future meetings. |
3 | Governance Matters for Discussion 3.1 Safety Case for declared dams Peter Boyd presented the safety case for declared dams papers. Members agreed with recommendation presented: That Dams Safety NSW revisit the applicability of safety cases to the dams safety framework in the medium to longer term. Action: 20211805-09 - Dams Safety NSW to monitor and report back to Members those dams for which a safety case may be useful in future. |
4 | Operations Matters for Discussion 4.1 How capability maturity assessment outputs will be used moving forward The Operations team presented an overview of how the capability maturity assessment data could be used. Members agreed that the data collected was very useful and that Dams Safety NSW should continue to look at how to use the data Action: 20211805-10 - Dams Safety NSW to discuss at the July strategic planning workshop how the data collected in capability maturity assessments can be used internally and externally. Matters for Noting 4.2 CEO Report Chris Salkovic presented the CEO Report. Note: Alex Fisher was recused from the meeting at 12:50pm while Members discussed WaterNSW activities. Ross invited Alex to return once the WaterNSW related discussions had concluded (at 1pm). Action: 20211805-11 – Dams Safety NSW to invite Water NSW to next meeting to present Warragamba Dam’s risk assessment. 4.3 Key Performance Indicators and projects Nil actions |
5 | General Business 5.1 July meeting Margaret Hynes updated the Members on the itinerary for the July face-to-face meeting. Action: 20211805-12 - Dams Safety NSW to confirm what PPE is required for site visits. Action: 20211805-13 - Dams Safety NSW to co-ordinate the purchase of PPE for Members. 5.2 CEO’s development plan Members agreed to support the CEO’s attendance at Company Directors Course. |
6 | Meeting Finalisation 6.1 Review actions taken – completed 6.2 Meeting evaluation – by John Stacpoole, next meeting will be reviewed by Rob O'Neill. 6.3 Next meeting – 22 June - Virtual 6.4 Meeting closed – 1.30pm |