❓ Ms. Farrer asks the Premier how a proposed bilateral agreement on environmental approvals would expedite job-creating resource projects. The Premier outlines efforts to streamline approvals, avoid duplication, and invest in the EPA to reduce approval times while maintaining environmental standards.
AnsweredQoN 1085Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESOURCE SECTOR —
ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS BILATERAL AGREEMENT
1085. Ms J. FARRER to the Premier:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to giving the
resource sector the certainty it needs to create jobs and help drive the
Western Australian economy. Can the Premier outline to the house how the
environmental approvals bilateral agreement he has proposed to the Prime
Minister would help get major job-creating projects underway sooner and ensure that billions of dollars' worth of
investment is not held up by unnecessary bureaucracy?
ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS BILATERAL AGREEMENT
1085. Ms J. FARRER to the Premier:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to giving the
resource sector the certainty it needs to create jobs and help drive the
Western Australian economy. Can the Premier outline to the house how the
environmental approvals bilateral agreement he has proposed to the Prime
Minister would help get major job-creating projects underway sooner and ensure that billions of dollars' worth of
investment is not held up by unnecessary bureaucracy?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank member for Kimberley for the
question. Yesterday and today, I attended the Resources Technology Showcase at the Perth Convention and Exhibition
Centre and saw some of the displays and activities being undertaken there. I would like to congratulate the organisers of that event. It is a great
showcase for Western Australian industry. Over the next few years, we are
potentially going to see tens of billions of dollars of additional investment
in resources projects in Western Australia. We are working hard with the
relevant players on the Scarborough and Browse projects to bring them to
fruition and onshore at the Burrup Hub. Between them, they are worth around $45
billion. Our major iron ore producers, such as Rio Tinto, FMG and BHP, have
significant expansions either underway or planned that will create thousands of
jobs. We are doing everything we can to ensure that that work occurs here and
as much manufacturing work related to those projects as possible occurs here in
Western Australia.
One of the things I wrote to the
Prime Minister about was trying to ensure that we remove redundant and
replicated approval processes between the commonwealth and the state. We are
very strong supporters, and I am personally a very strong supporter, of high
environmental standards, but I would like to see that if approval processes are
fit to be undertaken, the same approval processes not be undertaken at the
federal and state level that result in additional costs and delays for major
resources projects in Western Australia. I have written to the Prime Minister
urging that processes be undertaken by the state Environmental Protection
Authority that we expect would reduce time frames on project approvals or
otherwise by six months. That would not involve any additional legislative
change, but would ensure a speed-up of job opportunities and projects here in Western
Australia. As I said, I do not want to see any reduction in environmental
protections or standards. I just want to see a removal of duplication at the
state and federal level. I hope to receive a positive outcome on that from the
Prime Minister.
On top of that, last year we
provided an additional $3 million to the EPA to fund additional staff because
of the increasing workload with new opportunities coming onstream. We just
announced today an additional $1.7 million for additional staff at the EPA to
deal with the backlog of work. We are very keen, particularly in light of the
Resources Technology Showcase that was on yesterday and today. My ministers and
I were very happy to attend an event last night. I saw the member for
Dawesville wandering around unable to find his seat.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was like
musical chairs. He did not have a seat. I wonder why that was.
We expect that the bilateral
agreement we are proposing with the commonwealth would ensure high
environmental standards, but slash approval times and result in thousands of
jobs for our state.
question. Yesterday and today, I attended the Resources Technology Showcase at the Perth Convention and Exhibition
Centre and saw some of the displays and activities being undertaken there. I would like to congratulate the organisers of that event. It is a great
showcase for Western Australian industry. Over the next few years, we are
potentially going to see tens of billions of dollars of additional investment
in resources projects in Western Australia. We are working hard with the
relevant players on the Scarborough and Browse projects to bring them to
fruition and onshore at the Burrup Hub. Between them, they are worth around $45
billion. Our major iron ore producers, such as Rio Tinto, FMG and BHP, have
significant expansions either underway or planned that will create thousands of
jobs. We are doing everything we can to ensure that that work occurs here and
as much manufacturing work related to those projects as possible occurs here in
Western Australia.
One of the things I wrote to the
Prime Minister about was trying to ensure that we remove redundant and
replicated approval processes between the commonwealth and the state. We are
very strong supporters, and I am personally a very strong supporter, of high
environmental standards, but I would like to see that if approval processes are
fit to be undertaken, the same approval processes not be undertaken at the
federal and state level that result in additional costs and delays for major
resources projects in Western Australia. I have written to the Prime Minister
urging that processes be undertaken by the state Environmental Protection
Authority that we expect would reduce time frames on project approvals or
otherwise by six months. That would not involve any additional legislative
change, but would ensure a speed-up of job opportunities and projects here in Western
Australia. As I said, I do not want to see any reduction in environmental
protections or standards. I just want to see a removal of duplication at the
state and federal level. I hope to receive a positive outcome on that from the
Prime Minister.
On top of that, last year we
provided an additional $3 million to the EPA to fund additional staff because
of the increasing workload with new opportunities coming onstream. We just
announced today an additional $1.7 million for additional staff at the EPA to
deal with the backlog of work. We are very keen, particularly in light of the
Resources Technology Showcase that was on yesterday and today. My ministers and
I were very happy to attend an event last night. I saw the member for
Dawesville wandering around unable to find his seat.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was like
musical chairs. He did not have a seat. I wonder why that was.
We expect that the bilateral
agreement we are proposing with the commonwealth would ensure high
environmental standards, but slash approval times and result in thousands of
jobs for our state.
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