7 October 2021

North East Link’s Independent Environmental Auditor (IEA) plays a key role in making sure the project and our contractors comply with hundreds of strict environmental requirements.

The Environmental Performance Requirements (EPRs) outline the environmental outcomes that must be achieved through the design, construction and operation of North East Link , including strict requirements to make sure construction and environmental impacts are managed well.

In keeping with project approvals, the six-monthly report summarises audit activities and findings, status of actions taken to resolve any issues raised, and the contractors' overall compliance with the project’s Environmental Management Framework and EPRs.

Overview of findings from this IEA six-monthly summary report

Across the February to July 2021 six-monthly reporting period, 21 audit findings were identified against the EPRs, one of which was considered to represent a major non-compliance and 13 minor non-compliances. The remaining findings were opportunities for improvement.

The majority of non-compliant findings identified during this period related to instances of minor non-compliance or partial compliance in fulfilling all requirements of Project specific environmental management plans in their entirety.

At the time of this report the contractor had addressed and closed out, to the satisfaction of the IEA, the major non-compliance and all but a single part of one of the minor non-compliances identified during the reporting period.

Given the contractor’s response in closing out findings identified during the reporting period and taking the context of the findings into consideration, the IEA does not consider the audit findings to represent systemic issues or present significant or ongoing material risks to the environment.