❓ Ms MacTiernan questions Premier Barnett about potential taxpayer subsidies for the nickel industry following concerns about the commercial sustainability of port upgrades. Barnett rejects the port authority's stance and emphasizes the importance of supporting the nickel industry.
AnsweredQoN 57Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PORT OF ESPERANCE — BAN ON NICKEL EXPORTS
I have a supplementary question. Given the findings of the board that the capital upgrade would not be commercially sustainable, is the Premier considering a taxpayer subsidy for the nickel industry? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I have a supplementary question. Given the findings of the board that the capital upgrade would not be commercially sustainable, is the Premier considering a taxpayer subsidy for the nickel industry? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Armadale for the question; it is a good and interesting one. For the port to say that it is not commercially sustainable—is that the quote? I do not have the correspondence in front of me. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for Armadale for the question; it is a good and interesting one. For the port to say that it is not commercially sustainable—is that the quote? I do not have the correspondence in front of me. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
I thank the member for Armadale for the question; it is a good and interesting one. For the port to say that it is not commercially sustainable—is that the quote? I do not have the correspondence in front of me. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
For the port to say that it is not commercially sustainable—is that the quote? I do not have the correspondence in front of me. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for Armadale for the question; it is a good and interesting one. For the port to say that it is not commercially sustainable—is that the quote? I do not have the correspondence in front of me. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
I thank the member for Armadale for the question; it is a good and interesting one. For the port to say that it is not commercially sustainable—is that the quote? I do not have the correspondence in front of me. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
For the port to say that it is not commercially sustainable—is that the quote? I do not have the correspondence in front of me. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That’s what I said. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I challenge the port authority on that. I remind the port that it is a government authority and is there to provide export facilities for the industry of this state. It is not up to the authority to say, “This is not commercially sustainable for us, therefore forget the nickel industry of Western Australia.” Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No, sorry — Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let me just finish. The nickel industry is worth probably around $4 billion a year. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Are you saying the ports don’t need business cases? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not saying that, but I do not accept a proposition that the port authority can say, “This is a problem; therefore, we will not provide a service to one of the great industries of this state.” That is not acceptable. My approach to the port authority is that it works with the industry, it works with the government agencies and it fixes the problem. It makes sure it is safe to export, in this case nickel, out of the port of Esperance. As I said to its representatives at the meeting, that is why the port exists, that is why board members exist—to solve problems, not to put their hands up and say, “We can’t do it.” That is unacceptable to me.
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