❓ Shadow Minister Papalia questions Minister Grylls about conflicting Indigenous employment figures for the Ord-East Kimberley expansion. Grylls avoids directly answering, instead criticising the Labor Party's past stance on the project.
AnsweredQoN 713Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ORD–EAST KIMBERLEY EXPANSION PROJECT
713. Mr P. PAPALIA to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the minister's claim in this place last
week regarding the Ord–East Kimberley expansion project, when he said —
There are currently 91 Indigenous workers employed on the
construction site direct
(1) Why did
the Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation newsletter state in its June 2012 edition
that only 29 Indigenous workers were employed on the Ord stage 2 works?
(2) Who is
right, the MG Corporation or the minister?
(3) Have any
binding requirements been placed on Shanghai Zhongfu to provide jobs for
locals, including the MG people; and, if so, what are these requirements?
(4) What other
guaranteed Indigenous employment requirements have been negotiated as part of
the lease arrangements?
713. Mr P. PAPALIA to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the minister's claim in this place last
week regarding the Ord–East Kimberley expansion project, when he said —
There are currently 91 Indigenous workers employed on the
construction site direct
(1) Why did
the Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation newsletter state in its June 2012 edition
that only 29 Indigenous workers were employed on the Ord stage 2 works?
(2) Who is
right, the MG Corporation or the minister?
(3) Have any
binding requirements been placed on Shanghai Zhongfu to provide jobs for
locals, including the MG people; and, if so, what are these requirements?
(4) What other
guaranteed Indigenous employment requirements have been negotiated as part of
the lease arrangements?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4)
I thank the shadow spokesperson for agriculture for his question today. Before
I answer the question, I think it is important to put the question in the
context of where the Ord development comes from. I would like to go back to the
2007 Hansard and talk about the
shadow spokesperson for agriculture's colleague, who is right behind
him, the member for Belmont—who has been rightly recognised for his
role in filling the vision of the development of the Ord—and just what
the Labor Party's position was at that time compared with its blatant
opposition to the expansion of the Ord now. The 19 June Hansard states —
I have been the minister
responsible for native title since the election of the government. I was the
minister who supervised the negotiations of the Ord final settlement. I would
not have done that at a $56 million cost if I was not committed to stage 2. As
Treasurer, I would not have supported that $56 million or the allocation of $11
million to $12 million for the Ord enhancement scheme if I was not committed to
as far as possible making Ord stage 2 a success. I therefore say to the people
in the east Kimberley that we are on the case; we are committed —
Mr P. Papalia : Are
you going to answer the question?
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Shadow spokesperson for agriculture, are you still committed
to delivering on the Ord final agreement signed by your side of politics?
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Are you still committed? I do not think you are committed.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I
suggest to everybody in this place that I want to keep the volume down.
Minister for Regional Development, I doubt you will make any progress asking
questions. You have been asked a question yourself.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I further quote the member for Belmont —
We will get a better outcome from
the expressions of interest process —
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, you are not helping the
process. I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I can hear you; I formally call you to order
for the second time today.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
The member for Belmont said —
We will get a better outcome from
the expressions of interest process if we say up-front how much infrastructure
support we are prepared to provide. If we can combine that with a commonwealth
commitment, there might be sufficient joint government commitment up-front to
attract more proponents
The Liberal–National
government has done exactly that. That is exactly what we have done. It is very
clear that when the Labor Party was making commitments to the people of the
East Kimberley in the lead-up to the 2008 election, they were lying to them.
Mr P. Papalia : Is
it 29 or 91?
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : — because there is a very clear commitment to progress
Ord stage 2, that the government would need to make an infrastructure
commitment to; that they work hard to deliver on the outcomes for the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
people. The Liberal–National government made the same commitment. There
is one big difference. When the Liberal–National government makes a
commitment, we follow through on it.
Several members interjected.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
Next week the Premier will be opening the Goomig channel, 31.9 kilometres long,
that can hold a volume of water of 1.9 million cubic metres. The volume of
earth that was excavated to create this channel that our Premier will open is
1.4 million cubic metres, the bottom width is 10 to 14 metres and the top width
26 to 30 metres. As the Premier said, built into that channel will be the
capacity to allow water to flow across the border into the Northern Territory
to allow the Ord project to continue to expand. It is a truly nation-building
project in the East Kimberley of Western Australia that this government, as
opposed to those opposite, committed to and has delivered in our term of
government. The shadow Minister for Agriculture needs to understand that if he
wants to be a shadow minister, he needs to support agriculture. If he wants to
be a shadow minister, he probably should not oppose one of the biggest ever
agricultural projects in the north of Australia, because he does not do himself
much good moving out and about —
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : The
question from the shadow Minister for Agriculture related to the disparity in
Indigenous employment claimed by the minister as opposed to claimed by the
people of the Miriuwung–Gajerrong. At no point has the minister got
back to that question.
The
SPEAKER : If you have a point of order, I need to know what that point of
order is —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Relevance.
The
SPEAKER : I will certainly give the call to the member for Warnbro if
he wishes to ask a supplementary question. I think the issue of relevance is
very correct, member for Victoria Park.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : I
turn now to the question put by the member for Warnbro. The MG Services
division of MG Corporation—remember MG Services is the business group
set up under the MG Corporation to deliver the Indigenous employment benefits
of the project; it is actually in charge of delivering those benefits—advises
that it has exceeded its Aboriginal employment target on the phase 2 expansion
with 81 employees on the construction site, while the town-based employment
team has 39 employees based with local businesses. There are 81 plus 39
employees of MG Corporation's MG Services division working on this
project.
Mr
T.G. Stephens : Indigenous?
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Indigenous. There are 81 employees and 39 employees who have
been put to work by the MG Services division. Further, small businesses have
been set up. I mentioned Duck Chulong's Wanna Work business last week.
Many contractors are working across the Kimberley. There is a bus company doing
tours out to the site. That is owned by an MG person—another new MG business.
There is also a catering company. As the Premier said, we have ensured
Indigenous benefit has been entwined with this project. That is why, member for
Warnbro, the state, the commonwealth and the Miriuwung–Gajerrong people
came together to push this project through, which the former Labor government
started. I think it is absolutely disgraceful that the member worded them up
that he was going to do this, and then quite clearly his pathological hatred
for regional development means that he would have pulled the rug from under
them. All those people who got their first job would not have got their first
job and all those new businesses would not have got those opportunities. There
is a clear and stark difference —
Mr
T.G. Stephens : You can't tell the truth about a food bowl; why
would we believe you about Indigenous jobs?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Minister for Agriculture and Food, you're in good form
today! I formally call you to order for the second time today. Member for
Pilbara, I do not need to hear you interjecting at this point.
Mr T.G. Stephens :
You may not, but he does.
The SPEAKER : I formally
call you to order for the second time today, member for Pilbara. Have you
finished, Minister for Regional Development?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
Just about.
Member for Pilbara, the reason that I can be trusted on my
commitment to Indigenous employment is because Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation's
MG Services tells me there are 81 employees on the construction site and more
than 30 in town-based employment. That is a good outcome for the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
people.
I thank the shadow spokesperson for agriculture for his question today. Before
I answer the question, I think it is important to put the question in the
context of where the Ord development comes from. I would like to go back to the
2007 Hansard and talk about the
shadow spokesperson for agriculture's colleague, who is right behind
him, the member for Belmont—who has been rightly recognised for his
role in filling the vision of the development of the Ord—and just what
the Labor Party's position was at that time compared with its blatant
opposition to the expansion of the Ord now. The 19 June Hansard states —
I have been the minister
responsible for native title since the election of the government. I was the
minister who supervised the negotiations of the Ord final settlement. I would
not have done that at a $56 million cost if I was not committed to stage 2. As
Treasurer, I would not have supported that $56 million or the allocation of $11
million to $12 million for the Ord enhancement scheme if I was not committed to
as far as possible making Ord stage 2 a success. I therefore say to the people
in the east Kimberley that we are on the case; we are committed —
Mr P. Papalia : Are
you going to answer the question?
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Shadow spokesperson for agriculture, are you still committed
to delivering on the Ord final agreement signed by your side of politics?
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Are you still committed? I do not think you are committed.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I
suggest to everybody in this place that I want to keep the volume down.
Minister for Regional Development, I doubt you will make any progress asking
questions. You have been asked a question yourself.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I further quote the member for Belmont —
We will get a better outcome from
the expressions of interest process —
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, you are not helping the
process. I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I can hear you; I formally call you to order
for the second time today.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
The member for Belmont said —
We will get a better outcome from
the expressions of interest process if we say up-front how much infrastructure
support we are prepared to provide. If we can combine that with a commonwealth
commitment, there might be sufficient joint government commitment up-front to
attract more proponents
The Liberal–National
government has done exactly that. That is exactly what we have done. It is very
clear that when the Labor Party was making commitments to the people of the
East Kimberley in the lead-up to the 2008 election, they were lying to them.
Mr P. Papalia : Is
it 29 or 91?
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : — because there is a very clear commitment to progress
Ord stage 2, that the government would need to make an infrastructure
commitment to; that they work hard to deliver on the outcomes for the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
people. The Liberal–National government made the same commitment. There
is one big difference. When the Liberal–National government makes a
commitment, we follow through on it.
Several members interjected.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
Next week the Premier will be opening the Goomig channel, 31.9 kilometres long,
that can hold a volume of water of 1.9 million cubic metres. The volume of
earth that was excavated to create this channel that our Premier will open is
1.4 million cubic metres, the bottom width is 10 to 14 metres and the top width
26 to 30 metres. As the Premier said, built into that channel will be the
capacity to allow water to flow across the border into the Northern Territory
to allow the Ord project to continue to expand. It is a truly nation-building
project in the East Kimberley of Western Australia that this government, as
opposed to those opposite, committed to and has delivered in our term of
government. The shadow Minister for Agriculture needs to understand that if he
wants to be a shadow minister, he needs to support agriculture. If he wants to
be a shadow minister, he probably should not oppose one of the biggest ever
agricultural projects in the north of Australia, because he does not do himself
much good moving out and about —
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : The
question from the shadow Minister for Agriculture related to the disparity in
Indigenous employment claimed by the minister as opposed to claimed by the
people of the Miriuwung–Gajerrong. At no point has the minister got
back to that question.
The
SPEAKER : If you have a point of order, I need to know what that point of
order is —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Relevance.
The
SPEAKER : I will certainly give the call to the member for Warnbro if
he wishes to ask a supplementary question. I think the issue of relevance is
very correct, member for Victoria Park.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : I
turn now to the question put by the member for Warnbro. The MG Services
division of MG Corporation—remember MG Services is the business group
set up under the MG Corporation to deliver the Indigenous employment benefits
of the project; it is actually in charge of delivering those benefits—advises
that it has exceeded its Aboriginal employment target on the phase 2 expansion
with 81 employees on the construction site, while the town-based employment
team has 39 employees based with local businesses. There are 81 plus 39
employees of MG Corporation's MG Services division working on this
project.
Mr
T.G. Stephens : Indigenous?
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : Indigenous. There are 81 employees and 39 employees who have
been put to work by the MG Services division. Further, small businesses have
been set up. I mentioned Duck Chulong's Wanna Work business last week.
Many contractors are working across the Kimberley. There is a bus company doing
tours out to the site. That is owned by an MG person—another new MG business.
There is also a catering company. As the Premier said, we have ensured
Indigenous benefit has been entwined with this project. That is why, member for
Warnbro, the state, the commonwealth and the Miriuwung–Gajerrong people
came together to push this project through, which the former Labor government
started. I think it is absolutely disgraceful that the member worded them up
that he was going to do this, and then quite clearly his pathological hatred
for regional development means that he would have pulled the rug from under
them. All those people who got their first job would not have got their first
job and all those new businesses would not have got those opportunities. There
is a clear and stark difference —
Mr
T.G. Stephens : You can't tell the truth about a food bowl; why
would we believe you about Indigenous jobs?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Minister for Agriculture and Food, you're in good form
today! I formally call you to order for the second time today. Member for
Pilbara, I do not need to hear you interjecting at this point.
Mr T.G. Stephens :
You may not, but he does.
The SPEAKER : I formally
call you to order for the second time today, member for Pilbara. Have you
finished, Minister for Regional Development?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
Just about.
Member for Pilbara, the reason that I can be trusted on my
commitment to Indigenous employment is because Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation's
MG Services tells me there are 81 employees on the construction site and more
than 30 in town-based employment. That is a good outcome for the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
people.
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