Hetherington Environmental

Planning & Environmental Approvals

Extensive experience in environmental management and navigating approval frameworks across all jurisdictions allows Hetherington to provide specialist advice to a variety of clients in the resources, energy and infrastructure industries in relation to environmental and planning approvals.

Hetherington Environmental strives to provide our clients with industry-leading expertise and personalised service, tailored to each of our client’s operational needs.

Hetherington Environmental - PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS
Projects completed
200

Projects completed

Hetherington Environmental

Planning & Environmental Approvals

Exploration & Mining Approvals

Exploration & Mining Approvals

Exploration Approvals, Mining Approvals Ancillary Approvals, Ongoing Management Rehabilitation Compliance and Auditing, Closure Management

Environmental & Planning Advice

Exploration & Mining Approvals

Resources, Renewables, Infrastructure Construction and Local Development

Environmental
& Planning Advice

Environmental
& Planning Advice

Management and oversight of environmental impact assessment, Consultation with Government and private stakeholders

Compliance & Auditing

Compliance & Auditing

Maintenance of internal or independent approval and obligation registers, Auditing of approvals and related obligations, Review and auditing of internal records of compliance Strategic advice to assist long-term compliance goals and objectives

ESG Advice & Reporting

ESG Advice & Reporting

Establishing ESG goals and strategies Custom ESG reporting frameworks and practices to reflect internal and external obligations

Environmental & Planning

Environmental and planning approvals are critical to the success of any resources, energy or infrastructure project and involves numerous disciplines to achieve the principles of ecologically sustainable development.

Expert navigation of planning and environmental frameworks requires a detailed understanding of the regulatory frameworks governing the successful grant and maintenance of approvals. This environmental consulting includes Government policies and guidelines, which are regularly subject to change.

Hetherington Environmental consultants have the experience and knowledge to assist you with your environmental and planning approval requirements to help you achieve your broader commercial goals.

Hetherington Group | Tenement Management
Why Choose Hetherington Environmental?

Hetherington Environmental provides our clients with industry-leading expertise & personalised service, tailored to each of our client’s operational needs.

  • Advice and preparation of Activity Approvals, Review of Environmental Factors(REF), Mining Operations Plans(MOP), Environmental Impact Statements(EIS), work plans, programs for environment protection and rehabilitation(PEPR) and other types of approvals
  • Management of all ancillary environmental approvals including environmental protection licences, roads works approvals, water approvals and vegetation clearing permits
  • Expert advice in relation to environmental and planning approval processes across all Australian jurisdictions
  • Guidance in relation to Government and key stakeholder consultation and liaison
  • Maintenance of independent registers of environmental commitments and conditions of granted approvals
  • Environmental auditing and review of obligations and commitments associated with environmental and planning approvals
  • Establishment of internal Environmental Management Plans to set and meet sustainability goals
  • Full project management and planning to ensure all necessary approvals are secured in accordance with key project goals targets
  • Navigation of legislative and policy frameworks to achieve cost effective solutions to all environmental approval and compliance requirements

Key Contacts

David Salim
CEO/Principal Solicitor

David Salim
David Salim

CEO/Principal Solicitor

David Salim

BACKGROUND

David joined the Hetherington team in April 2010 and has been Company Principal of Hetherington Sydney since April 2016, and Company Principal of Hetherington Perth since April 2019.

David graduated from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance Major), and Bachelor of Laws in 2008, where he studied Environmental Law and Native Title Law. David then went on to complete his Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in 2009 and was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in December 2009.

Prior to joining Hetherington, David worked in NSW Parliament in the Shadow Attorney General’s Office and in a general practice private law firm as a Legal Clerk and Graduate Solicitor, dealing with a wide variety of matters and clientele.

EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

Over the last 13 years, David has built a reputation for excellence in resources, mining and environmental law, accelerating Hetherington’s growth to the full-service firm it is today. Hetherington has close to 20 consultants and lawyers and three distinct entities: Hetherington Tenements, Hetherington Legal and Hetherington Environmental.

David specialises in legal compliance, regulation and management of exploration and mining tenure, partnering with ASX listed and privately owned mining and exploration companies within all jurisdictions of Australia, and internationally, including Pacific Region, New Zealand, Canada, North and South America.

A finalist in the 2019 NSW Minerals Council’s Young Achiever award and 2020 Gender Diversity Advocate awards, David has a proven track record and vast experience in:

  • Land access arrangements and landholder arbitration, Native Title, the Right to Negotiate process, Aboriginal Land Council Land, and Aboriginal Sites, Places and Objects.
  • Property reviews, managing conflicts and competition of land use, managing land rehabilitation protocols and outcomes, approvals of state significant developments, Agricultural land objections.
  • Advice and the administration of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

David is also a specialist practitioner in VALMIN Code 2015, ASIC and ASX compliant Independent Solicitor Reports, having assisted several companies in the private sector to submit Independent Solicitor Reports to the Australian, Canadian and Singaporean Stock Exchanges.

David prides himself on providing the highest level of customer service for his clients and continues to work towards becoming a leading authority in the industry.

INDUSTRY ADDRESSES AND ASSOCIATIONS

David’s legal insights and expertise in resources and environmental law are regularly sought out by industry associations. Popular events that David has spoken at include:

  • AMEC NSW Deputy Premier Boardroom Lunch, 2022, 2019
  • AMEC NSW End of Year Function at Parliament House, 2019
  • Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) National Convention in Perth, 2018
  • NSW Minerals Council’s Exploration and Tenure Forum, 2023, 2019, 2018 and 2017
  • Presentation on NSW to Chinese Government delegation at University on Sydney, 2016 and 2015.
  • 4th Annual India Coal Conference, 2022

David’s mining industry professional associations include:

  • Austmine Corporate Member
  • AusIMM NSW Women in Mining Committee member and mentor.
  • Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) Associate Member, Deputy Chair of the NSW Advisory Committee
  • Australian Energy and Resources Law Association (ER Law).
  • Member Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).
  • NSW Minerals Council Associate Member, Exploration & Tenure Committee Member
  • NSW, SA, and NT Government Department Industry Committees
  • NSW Law Society
  • NSW Committee Member of The Institute of Quarrying Australia
  • NSW Deputy Premier Minerals Industry Advisory Committee
  • WA Law Society

David is proud to contribute to industry by sponsoring:

  • AMEC Western Australia Tenure Forum, 2021
  • AMEC NSW Deputy Premier Boardroom Lunch, 2022, 2020, 2019
  • AMEC NSW End of Year Function, 2019
  • AMEC WA Environment and Land Access Seminar, 2021
  • AMEC WA Awards Dinner, 2022, 2021
  • IQA National Quarry Conference, 2022
  • NSW Mines and Wines Conference, 2022 and 2019
  • NSW Minerals Council Exploration and Tenure Forum, 2023, 2021, 2020 and 2019
  • NSW Minerals Council Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) Conference, 2022, 2019
  • Sydney Mining Club, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019
  • SMEDG Christmas Cruise, 2019
  • SMEDG Jubilee Conference, 2022
  • South Australian Exploration and Mining Conference (SAEMC), 2022, 2021, 2020
  • Women in Mining NSW (AusIMM), 2022, 2021 and 2020
  • 4th Annual India Coal Conference, 2022

AWARDS

David’s awards include:

HONORARY GRATITUDE AWARD, Australian Government, Presented by the Prime Minister, David received the award for his volunteer work in Nepal.

FINALIST GENDER DIVERSITY ADVOCATE – NSW MINERAL COUNCIL, February 2020

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER – NSW MINERALS COUNCIL, June 2019

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