❓ Ms. Duncan questions the government's support for the mining industry. Mr. Marmion responds by highlighting the industry's economic contribution, government initiatives, and contrasting Labor's policies.
AnsweredQoN 1023Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MINING INDUSTRY — GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
1023. Ms W.M. DUNCAN to the Minister for
Mines and Petroleum:
Can the minister please explain to
the house how the Liberal–National government has continued to support
the mining industry over the past 12 months?
1023. Ms W.M. DUNCAN to the Minister for
Mines and Petroleum:
Can the minister please explain to
the house how the Liberal–National government has continued to support
the mining industry over the past 12 months?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kalgoorlie
for the question. Probably one of the biggest supporters of the mining industry
in this house is the member for Kalgoorlie.
A member: Second only to you.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : Yes, second only to me!
Although it has been a challenging
year for the mining industry, mining continues to be an economic driver for the
state. The figures are in for the last financial year, and the value of both
the mining and petroleum industry in Western Australia is still $100 billion,
76 per cent of which was from the mining industry; so that is an easy figure to
work out: $76 billion. Also there was only a three per cent reduction of the
number of people employed in the mining industry, so in the financial year 2014–15,
106 000 people are still employed in the mining industry, which is a three per cent
reduction on the previous year.
The government has initiated a
number of programs to support the mining industry during this difficult time of
lower commodity prices. The Mining Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 that has
just passed through this house and is now in the upper house will reform
environmental regulation and reduce duplication. We have put in support
packages for mid-tier iron ore producers to help them lower their cost base.
That is working, but we obviously would like iron ore prices to go up more. We
have continued the exploration incentive scheme, which the member for
Kalgoorlie suggested we implement. For every $1 million that we provide to the
EIS, we get $10.3 million of actual on-the-ground exploration expenditure. The
list goes on: the mining rehabilitation fund, the extension of the core library,
and a number of programs that we have implemented.
In contrast to what we are doing,
the Labor Party's big red book of policies will reduce jobs. The big
red book does not support floating liquefied natural gas, fracking, uranium
mining or the China–Australia free trade agreement. To quote Mr Gary
Gray —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : We are running out of time.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : To quote Mr Gary Gray, AO —
My job is to act in the national
interest, in the interests of all Western Australians and not to act in narrow
and sectional interests.
This is what Mr Gary Gray also said
in reference to the Labor Party's Pledge and platform —
This pledge and this commitment takes
us back to the bad old days, of the faceless controllers of the party.
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : This contrasts remarkably to the Leader of the Opposition —
But WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said
he had been signing —
Mr
M. McGowan : You mean Mathias?
Mr
W.R. MARMION : No, this is the Leader of the Opposition —
candidate documents for two decades
and did not have a problem �
Why is that so?
Several members interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : The Leader of the Opposition is pandering to sectional
interests as opposed to what we are doing.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I call you to order for the first time. I
want a very succinct answer, minister.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : We are not pandering to sectional interests; we are
supporting the mining industry and we are supporting jobs.
for the question. Probably one of the biggest supporters of the mining industry
in this house is the member for Kalgoorlie.
A member: Second only to you.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : Yes, second only to me!
Although it has been a challenging
year for the mining industry, mining continues to be an economic driver for the
state. The figures are in for the last financial year, and the value of both
the mining and petroleum industry in Western Australia is still $100 billion,
76 per cent of which was from the mining industry; so that is an easy figure to
work out: $76 billion. Also there was only a three per cent reduction of the
number of people employed in the mining industry, so in the financial year 2014–15,
106 000 people are still employed in the mining industry, which is a three per cent
reduction on the previous year.
The government has initiated a
number of programs to support the mining industry during this difficult time of
lower commodity prices. The Mining Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 that has
just passed through this house and is now in the upper house will reform
environmental regulation and reduce duplication. We have put in support
packages for mid-tier iron ore producers to help them lower their cost base.
That is working, but we obviously would like iron ore prices to go up more. We
have continued the exploration incentive scheme, which the member for
Kalgoorlie suggested we implement. For every $1 million that we provide to the
EIS, we get $10.3 million of actual on-the-ground exploration expenditure. The
list goes on: the mining rehabilitation fund, the extension of the core library,
and a number of programs that we have implemented.
In contrast to what we are doing,
the Labor Party's big red book of policies will reduce jobs. The big
red book does not support floating liquefied natural gas, fracking, uranium
mining or the China–Australia free trade agreement. To quote Mr Gary
Gray —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : We are running out of time.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : To quote Mr Gary Gray, AO —
My job is to act in the national
interest, in the interests of all Western Australians and not to act in narrow
and sectional interests.
This is what Mr Gary Gray also said
in reference to the Labor Party's Pledge and platform —
This pledge and this commitment takes
us back to the bad old days, of the faceless controllers of the party.
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : This contrasts remarkably to the Leader of the Opposition —
But WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said
he had been signing —
Mr
M. McGowan : You mean Mathias?
Mr
W.R. MARMION : No, this is the Leader of the Opposition —
candidate documents for two decades
and did not have a problem �
Why is that so?
Several members interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : The Leader of the Opposition is pandering to sectional
interests as opposed to what we are doing.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I call you to order for the first time. I
want a very succinct answer, minister.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : We are not pandering to sectional interests; we are
supporting the mining industry and we are supporting jobs.
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