❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the Gallop government's involvement in the COAL21 initiative, a national effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal. The government clarifies its observer status and participation through related research bodies, citing WA's smaller coal-fired generation compared to eastern states.
AnsweredQoN 267Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
In reference to the Gallop government’s Coal Future Strategy, in particular the section that commits the government to conduct a feasibility study into establishing a Clean Coal Centre of Excellence in Collie, will the minister please provide advice on the following - (1) Is the Gallop government aware of the COAL21 initiative, a collaborative partnership between federal and state governments, the coal and electricity generation industries and the research community, aimed at fully releasing the potential of advanced technologies to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of coal? (2) Why has the Gallop government, either through its departments or Western Power, chosen not to become a participant in COAL21? (3) Has the government considered becoming a participant in the initiative? (4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(1) Is the Gallop government aware of the COAL21 initiative, a collaborative partnership between federal and state governments, the coal and electricity generation industries and the research community, aimed at fully releasing the potential of advanced technologies to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of coal? (2) Why has the Gallop government, either through its departments or Western Power, chosen not to become a participant in COAL21? (3) Has the government considered becoming a participant in the initiative? (4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(2) Why has the Gallop government, either through its departments or Western Power, chosen not to become a participant in COAL21? (3) Has the government considered becoming a participant in the initiative? (4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(3) Has the government considered becoming a participant in the initiative? (4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(1) Is the Gallop government aware of the COAL21 initiative, a collaborative partnership between federal and state governments, the coal and electricity generation industries and the research community, aimed at fully releasing the potential of advanced technologies to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of coal? (2) Why has the Gallop government, either through its departments or Western Power, chosen not to become a participant in COAL21? (3) Has the government considered becoming a participant in the initiative? (4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(2) Why has the Gallop government, either through its departments or Western Power, chosen not to become a participant in COAL21? (3) Has the government considered becoming a participant in the initiative? (4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(3) Has the government considered becoming a participant in the initiative? (4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(4) If the government has not considered, and will not consider, becoming a participant in the initiative, why not? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(1) Yes. The Government is aware of the COAL21 initiative. (2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
(2)-(4) The Western Australian Government is an observer on COAL21. Western Power is also represented on the board of the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development. The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development is a participant in COAL21. It should also be noted that the amount of coal-fired generation is far greater in eastern Australia than it is in Western Australia. One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
One can argue about whether that is relevant, but it is clearly a very important issue in the east. Western Australia believes that the current level of involvement in COAL21 is adequate.
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