❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier about the consultation regarding the federal government's $40 million nature positive plan and its potential impact on WA's resource sector. The Premier defends the plan, highlighting WA's commitment to ESG and renewable energy development.
AnsweredQoN 319Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NATURE POSITIVE PLAN — IMPLEMENTATION
319. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the $40 million
allocation in the federal budget for the implementation of the nature positive
plan over the next two years and the potentially devastating impact it will
have on our state resource's sector. Just more than a month ago, the
Premier said —
Any reforms would have a disproportionate
impact here because of the nature of our economy �
Given
this and the government's complete reliance upon the sector for its own
budget, did the Prime Minister consult the Premier before making this
budget commitment, which, in the Premier's own words, will
disproportionately affect and impact our resources sector?
319. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the $40 million
allocation in the federal budget for the implementation of the nature positive
plan over the next two years and the potentially devastating impact it will
have on our state resource's sector. Just more than a month ago, the
Premier said —
Any reforms would have a disproportionate
impact here because of the nature of our economy �
Given
this and the government's complete reliance upon the sector for its own
budget, did the Prime Minister consult the Premier before making this
budget commitment, which, in the Premier's own words, will
disproportionately affect and impact our resources sector?
AnswerView source ↗
It is because we have so much development in Western Australia;
because the economy is steaming ahead; because we are starting up a renewable
energy industry in Western Australia, which will be a powerhouse for the world;
because we are continuing to access critical minerals, which will be a crucial
part of the renewable energy pathway; because we are starting to process those
minerals so that we can be part of the battery manufacture supply chain; and
because we are taking this state to the next level—the next boom in our
economic future.
We discovered gold. We moved to the iron ore phase. We have
gone through the LNG phase. We are now looking at a renewable energy–critical
minerals phase of our economic future. Because of all this activity, of course,
any project that happens is going to be impacted by environmental approvals
processes. We want them to be. We want them to be held to the highest possible
standard of environmental approvals because we know that our international
customers, our partners and our suppliers, want to know that that is what they
are investing in. They want to know they are part of an important jurisdiction
that holds environmental, social and governance values uppermost in our mind.
That is for the record. It is an important consideration for our state. As I have
reported to this place and in the media, the
nature positive work that the commonwealth government is undertaking at the
moment is an important part of continuing to maintain our international
stewardship around ESG. We do not want it to be a handbrake on development in Western
Australia. We understand that if we are going to be the renewable energy
powerhouse, if we are going to attract investment, it has to be through an
environmental approvals process and regulation process, which ultimately
facilitate that industry and do not hold it back. We are very cognisant of the
work that the commonwealth government is doing in relation to the nature
positive program. I take from the member's question that he has looked
at the budget and seen $40 million in there. I am pleased that the commonwealth
government is putting resources in to make sure it gets the balance right.
because the economy is steaming ahead; because we are starting up a renewable
energy industry in Western Australia, which will be a powerhouse for the world;
because we are continuing to access critical minerals, which will be a crucial
part of the renewable energy pathway; because we are starting to process those
minerals so that we can be part of the battery manufacture supply chain; and
because we are taking this state to the next level—the next boom in our
economic future.
We discovered gold. We moved to the iron ore phase. We have
gone through the LNG phase. We are now looking at a renewable energy–critical
minerals phase of our economic future. Because of all this activity, of course,
any project that happens is going to be impacted by environmental approvals
processes. We want them to be. We want them to be held to the highest possible
standard of environmental approvals because we know that our international
customers, our partners and our suppliers, want to know that that is what they
are investing in. They want to know they are part of an important jurisdiction
that holds environmental, social and governance values uppermost in our mind.
That is for the record. It is an important consideration for our state. As I have
reported to this place and in the media, the
nature positive work that the commonwealth government is undertaking at the
moment is an important part of continuing to maintain our international
stewardship around ESG. We do not want it to be a handbrake on development in Western
Australia. We understand that if we are going to be the renewable energy
powerhouse, if we are going to attract investment, it has to be through an
environmental approvals process and regulation process, which ultimately
facilitate that industry and do not hold it back. We are very cognisant of the
work that the commonwealth government is doing in relation to the nature
positive program. I take from the member's question that he has looked
at the budget and seen $40 million in there. I am pleased that the commonwealth
government is putting resources in to make sure it gets the balance right.
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