SBMA strengthens regulatory capability through South Australia exchange

The Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) hosted two officers from South Australia’s Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) in September as part of a regulator to regulator exchange focused on compliance, monitoring, enforcement procedures and regulatory systems.

The placement builds on an earlier exchange supported through the Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators Network (AELERT), which saw former SBMA Senior Policy and Legal Officer Te-Ara Henderson undertake a secondment with DEM in South Australia from May to July 2025.

The latest exchange brought that cooperation to Rarotonga, allowing DEM officers to work directly alongside SBMA staff on practical areas of regulatory oversight.

Dede Mingi1 October 2026Seabed Minerals Authority, SBMA, South Australia Department of Energy and Mining, DEM, Simon Matthews, Daniel Radulovic, Latishia Maui-Mataora, Beverly Ataera, Regulatory Capability, Compliance Monitoring, Regulatory Oversight, Enforcement Procedures, Exploration Regulation, Licence Compliance, Exploration Licence Renewal, Regulatory Systems, Monitoring and Reporting, Compliance Framework, Policy and Regulatory Oversight, Regulator to Regulator Exchange, South Australia Exchange, AELERT, Australiasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators Network, Institutional Capacity, Knowledge Exchange, Professional Development, Regulatory Cooperation, Cook Islands, Seabed Minerals, Exploration and Research Phase, Seabed Minerals Governance, National Regulatory Framework, Cook Islands Law, Responsible Ocean Governance, National Interest

Global Lessons, Local Impact: SBMA’s Te-Ara Henderson Returns from South Australia Secondment

The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) proudly welcomes home its Senior Policy and Legal Officer, Te-Ara Henderson, following the successful completion of an 11-week regulatory secondment with the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining (DEM), an exchange facilitated through the Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators Network (AELERT).

Press ReleaseDede Mingi30 July 2025SBMA, Cook Islands, Rarotonga, Te-Ara Henderson, South Australia, AELERT, Global Learning, Local Impact, AELERT Network, Cook Islands Leadership, Seabed Minerals, Regulatory Excellence, Pacific Innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Ocean Governance

Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority Participates in the AELERT – INECE 2024 Global Summit on Implementing and Enforcing Environmental Law

Representatives from the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) recently attended the AELERT – INECE 2024 Global Summit on Implementing and Enforcing Environmental Law in Brisbane, Australia, from November 6th - 8th. This summit convened leaders and experts from various regulatory fields to discuss advancements in law enforcement and compliance practices.

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