Working as an enviro in mining, I will tell you that the...

Working as an enviro in mining, I will tell you that the regulator can always ping you for something. You will never meet 100% of your environmental compliance requirements. With a popular/controversial project there is more scrutiny so I don't doubt that they will maintain higher standards. In the end of the day it's all about managing your major risks and maintaining a good relationship with the regulator.

I do see this project still having some significant risks, but nothing that can't be overcome. The benefits of location, existing disturbances, lack of arable land, small dying town, saline groundwater, etc.etc. Aborigines you pay them off, and greenies will always bark but lack bite. The risks are much more manageable than LINC, and hopefully the learnings from there can be applied here.