❓ The Premier confirms the Mines Safety Inspectorate will not be exempt from the 3% efficiency dividend or staffing cap, despite recent fatalities at BHP operations. An investigation is underway, and the government asserts safety remains a priority.
AnsweredQoN 289Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MINES SAFETY INSPECTORATE
(2) Will the government exempt the mines safety inspectorate from the three per cent efficiency dividend and the Treasurer’s public service staffing cap; and, if not, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT
(2) Will the government exempt the mines safety inspectorate from the three per cent efficiency dividend and the Treasurer’s public service staffing cap; and, if not, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) The three per cent efficiency dividend applies across all government departments, including the Department of Mines and Petroleum. There are no exemptions. The member is right; there have been five fatalities at BHP’s operations in the Pilbara since July 2008. As the Minister for Mines and Petroleum has made abundantly clear, publicly and to BHP, that is unacceptable. The minister has held talks with BHP executives. There has been an independent expert investigation of all BHP iron operations in the state. That was set up under section 45 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and is due to report by 30 April. Hopefully, some positive recommendations will come out of that report on those worker accidents and the tragedies that have resulted. The mining industry always says at every public event that safety is its first priority. The mines minister has repeated that statement to the mining industry—safety is the first priority, and the safety record of BHP over the past year has been unacceptable. An investigation is being undertaken and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum will have its report on 30 April. I do not know what will come out of that report or what recommendations will be made. We will not compromise on safety. Equally, I will not pre-empt the investigation and studies being undertaken.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)-(2) The three per cent efficiency dividend applies across all government departments, including the Department of Mines and Petroleum. There are no exemptions. The member is right; there have been five fatalities at BHP’s operations in the Pilbara since July 2008. As the Minister for Mines and Petroleum has made abundantly clear, publicly and to BHP, that is unacceptable. The minister has held talks with BHP executives. There has been an independent expert investigation of all BHP iron operations in the state. That was set up under section 45 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and is due to report by 30 April. Hopefully, some positive recommendations will come out of that report on those worker accidents and the tragedies that have resulted. The mining industry always says at every public event that safety is its first priority. The mines minister has repeated that statement to the mining industry—safety is the first priority, and the safety record of BHP over the past year has been unacceptable. An investigation is being undertaken and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum will have its report on 30 April. I do not know what will come out of that report or what recommendations will be made. We will not compromise on safety. Equally, I will not pre-empt the investigation and studies being undertaken.
(1)-(2) The three per cent efficiency dividend applies across all government departments, including the Department of Mines and Petroleum. There are no exemptions. The member is right; there have been five fatalities at BHP’s operations in the Pilbara since July 2008. As the Minister for Mines and Petroleum has made abundantly clear, publicly and to BHP, that is unacceptable. The minister has held talks with BHP executives. There has been an independent expert investigation of all BHP iron operations in the state. That was set up under section 45 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and is due to report by 30 April. Hopefully, some positive recommendations will come out of that report on those worker accidents and the tragedies that have resulted. The mining industry always says at every public event that safety is its first priority. The mines minister has repeated that statement to the mining industry—safety is the first priority, and the safety record of BHP over the past year has been unacceptable. An investigation is being undertaken and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum will have its report on 30 April. I do not know what will come out of that report or what recommendations will be made. We will not compromise on safety. Equally, I will not pre-empt the investigation and studies being undertaken.
The mining industry always says at every public event that safety is its first priority. The mines minister has repeated that statement to the mining industry—safety is the first priority, and the safety record of BHP over the past year has been unacceptable. An investigation is being undertaken and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum will have its report on 30 April. I do not know what will come out of that report or what recommendations will be made. We will not compromise on safety. Equally, I will not pre-empt the investigation and studies being undertaken.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)-(2) The three per cent efficiency dividend applies across all government departments, including the Department of Mines and Petroleum. There are no exemptions. The member is right; there have been five fatalities at BHP’s operations in the Pilbara since July 2008. As the Minister for Mines and Petroleum has made abundantly clear, publicly and to BHP, that is unacceptable. The minister has held talks with BHP executives. There has been an independent expert investigation of all BHP iron operations in the state. That was set up under section 45 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and is due to report by 30 April. Hopefully, some positive recommendations will come out of that report on those worker accidents and the tragedies that have resulted. The mining industry always says at every public event that safety is its first priority. The mines minister has repeated that statement to the mining industry—safety is the first priority, and the safety record of BHP over the past year has been unacceptable. An investigation is being undertaken and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum will have its report on 30 April. I do not know what will come out of that report or what recommendations will be made. We will not compromise on safety. Equally, I will not pre-empt the investigation and studies being undertaken.
(1)-(2) The three per cent efficiency dividend applies across all government departments, including the Department of Mines and Petroleum. There are no exemptions. The member is right; there have been five fatalities at BHP’s operations in the Pilbara since July 2008. As the Minister for Mines and Petroleum has made abundantly clear, publicly and to BHP, that is unacceptable. The minister has held talks with BHP executives. There has been an independent expert investigation of all BHP iron operations in the state. That was set up under section 45 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and is due to report by 30 April. Hopefully, some positive recommendations will come out of that report on those worker accidents and the tragedies that have resulted. The mining industry always says at every public event that safety is its first priority. The mines minister has repeated that statement to the mining industry—safety is the first priority, and the safety record of BHP over the past year has been unacceptable. An investigation is being undertaken and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum will have its report on 30 April. I do not know what will come out of that report or what recommendations will be made. We will not compromise on safety. Equally, I will not pre-empt the investigation and studies being undertaken.
The mining industry always says at every public event that safety is its first priority. The mines minister has repeated that statement to the mining industry—safety is the first priority, and the safety record of BHP over the past year has been unacceptable. An investigation is being undertaken and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum will have its report on 30 April. I do not know what will come out of that report or what recommendations will be made. We will not compromise on safety. Equally, I will not pre-empt the investigation and studies being undertaken.
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