Project approvals are the key mechanism to balance the environmental, social and economic aspects of a project. The assessment approaches vary significantly between states, with some having a strong emphasis on social, economic and environment, while others focus primarily on the environmental issues. There are a number of approaches which proponents and governments should consider which not only deliver better project outcomes, but can save proponents time and resources in delivering the project._x000D_
These approaches are not new but are often poorly implemented. This paper considers a number of these approaches and outlines the benefits they bring._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Skarratt, B, 2010. Is it so hard? Getting the balance right, in Proceedings Sustainable Mining 2010, pp 256-262 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).