❓ Opposition Leader asks about the future of Browse gas processing at James Price Point and benefits for Kimberley Aboriginal people. Premier responds by defending the government's handling of the project and accusing the opposition of orchestrating a disruption.
AnsweredQoN 413Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JAMES
PRICE POINT — LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS PROCESSING
413. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comments in May concerning James Price Point that ''The decision as to
where the gas goes lies with the WA government. Because of the agreement acts
that will cover James Price Point and the North West Shelf project, it's
not a private decision; it is a government decision.''
(1) Will
Browse gas be processed at James Price Point?
(2) Are
industry sources correct that it is increasingly likely it will be piped to
Karratha?
(3) If so,
what will be the benefits package for Kimberley Aboriginal people?
PRICE POINT — LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS PROCESSING
413. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comments in May concerning James Price Point that ''The decision as to
where the gas goes lies with the WA government. Because of the agreement acts
that will cover James Price Point and the North West Shelf project, it's
not a private decision; it is a government decision.''
(1) Will
Browse gas be processed at James Price Point?
(2) Are
industry sources correct that it is increasingly likely it will be piped to
Karratha?
(3) If so,
what will be the benefits package for Kimberley Aboriginal people?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question.
(1)–(3)
This is an important issue for the future of Western Australia, particularly
the Kimberley and particularly Aboriginal people in the western Kimberley area.
History should recall that the process of finding a site started under the
previous government; it had a provision that gave Aboriginal people a right of
veto. It was that and that government's inability to deal with Inpex
that saw a $15 billion project go to Darwin at a cost of several billion to the
proponents —
Mr
M. McGowan : You make it up.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : — and at a cost of, I think, well over $1 billion to
Australian taxpayers. Because of tax deductibility, the Australian taxpayer
will help fund the extra expenditure of the project. One of the first decisions
the Liberal–National government took was to remove that right of veto
and that brought on serious negotiations with Indigenous people. In May 2009 we
signed an agreement.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana, I formally call you to order for the first
time today. Leader of the Opposition I formally call you to order for the
second time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : In May 2009 on the beach at James Price Point there was a
historic signing of an agreement between the Indigenous people, the state
government and Woodside that included the area of land being available for the
project and a total of $1.5 billion in benefits for Aboriginal people over a
30-year period, including land, money, jobs, housing, health and education—all
worthy things—with most of the $1.5 billion to be delivered in that
form rather than simply as cash. That is an historic achievement. It is one of
the most, if not the most, significant acts of self-determination by Aboriginal
people in this state, in stark contrast to Noonkanbah 30 years earlier.
Since then the environmental process
has gone on and the EPA has recommended approval subject to strict conditions,
as it should, and that process is now, I think, still open for appeal, so I
probably should not go further on that. In addition, there have been challenges
through the Federal Court over the issuing of the notice of intent to take.
That has been resolved. There have been disputes over the legitimacy of the
Aboriginal vote. That has been resolved through the Federal Court. The state
government has essentially been the proponent of the acquisition of the land at
James Price Point. We have done our bit step by step by step, with success and
with the support of Aboriginal people.
[Interruption from the gallery.]
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Set-up question, was it?
The
SPEAKER : Sir, I ask you to remove yourself from the public gallery;
otherwise, I will instruct officers of the Parliament to remove you.
Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kalgoorlie!
[Interruption from the gallery.]
Several members interjected.
[Interruption from the gallery.]
The SPEAKER : Members, while I am
on my feet, the best instruction in these circumstances for everybody in this
place is not to assist anybody in the public gallery who might want to make a
nuisance of themselves. By responding to them, you assist. I am not going to
say any more about it, members; I am going to sit down. I believe the Premier
has the call.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am not sure whether the departing comments by the
person in the gallery was a threat or not, but I would be interested, given
that event, for the Leader of the Opposition to make clear whether he asked
that question in the knowledge that there would be an interjection from the
gallery. Was it a set-up?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am
going to provide instruction to members in this place on both sides that I had
an awareness that there could have been an interruption to today's
proceedings, and I provided instructions to officers in this Parliament along
those lines. I cannot say further than that. The gentleman has a history in
this place and the other place as well. I ask the Premier to conclude his
remarks. There is no point of order.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I am asking the Premier to withdraw the imputation he
made, which was offensive, rude and wrong.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members, if you want me to stop question time at this
point, I am quite prepared to do that. I have given members the information
with which I was provided and with which nobody else in this place was provided
so that I could make sure that the officers of this Parliament would be
prepared if there was an incident in the public gallery. There was an incident
in the public gallery, and I believe it has been successfully dealt with. It
would be best that we moved on from that point, members. It does us no credit
whatsoever. There is no ability in this place whatsoever —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah and member for Warnbro, I formally call you to
order. Members, I am on my feet providing everybody in this place with
instruction. I am going to indicate to the Premier what I have indicated to all
of you, that the only member of Parliament who was made aware that there might
be a possible interruption was me, and I took appropriate action. I think,
Premier, it would be in the best interests of this place to indicate to the
Leader of the Opposition that you, sir, were also unaware of that process.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Certainly I was unaware, but we will carry on.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members, you do not help the process at all—people on
either side of this place. Member for Mandurah, I formally call you to order
for the second time today. I call the member for Armadale to order for the
first time today. Premier, I am going to ask you to withdraw the comment you
made with respect to the Leader of the Opposition's point of order.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, my comment was a question.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Premier, I am simply going to ask you to withdraw the question,
then, that you asked of the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I withdraw.
(1)–(3)
This is an important issue for the future of Western Australia, particularly
the Kimberley and particularly Aboriginal people in the western Kimberley area.
History should recall that the process of finding a site started under the
previous government; it had a provision that gave Aboriginal people a right of
veto. It was that and that government's inability to deal with Inpex
that saw a $15 billion project go to Darwin at a cost of several billion to the
proponents —
Mr
M. McGowan : You make it up.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : — and at a cost of, I think, well over $1 billion to
Australian taxpayers. Because of tax deductibility, the Australian taxpayer
will help fund the extra expenditure of the project. One of the first decisions
the Liberal–National government took was to remove that right of veto
and that brought on serious negotiations with Indigenous people. In May 2009 we
signed an agreement.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana, I formally call you to order for the first
time today. Leader of the Opposition I formally call you to order for the
second time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : In May 2009 on the beach at James Price Point there was a
historic signing of an agreement between the Indigenous people, the state
government and Woodside that included the area of land being available for the
project and a total of $1.5 billion in benefits for Aboriginal people over a
30-year period, including land, money, jobs, housing, health and education—all
worthy things—with most of the $1.5 billion to be delivered in that
form rather than simply as cash. That is an historic achievement. It is one of
the most, if not the most, significant acts of self-determination by Aboriginal
people in this state, in stark contrast to Noonkanbah 30 years earlier.
Since then the environmental process
has gone on and the EPA has recommended approval subject to strict conditions,
as it should, and that process is now, I think, still open for appeal, so I
probably should not go further on that. In addition, there have been challenges
through the Federal Court over the issuing of the notice of intent to take.
That has been resolved. There have been disputes over the legitimacy of the
Aboriginal vote. That has been resolved through the Federal Court. The state
government has essentially been the proponent of the acquisition of the land at
James Price Point. We have done our bit step by step by step, with success and
with the support of Aboriginal people.
[Interruption from the gallery.]
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Set-up question, was it?
The
SPEAKER : Sir, I ask you to remove yourself from the public gallery;
otherwise, I will instruct officers of the Parliament to remove you.
Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kalgoorlie!
[Interruption from the gallery.]
Several members interjected.
[Interruption from the gallery.]
The SPEAKER : Members, while I am
on my feet, the best instruction in these circumstances for everybody in this
place is not to assist anybody in the public gallery who might want to make a
nuisance of themselves. By responding to them, you assist. I am not going to
say any more about it, members; I am going to sit down. I believe the Premier
has the call.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am not sure whether the departing comments by the
person in the gallery was a threat or not, but I would be interested, given
that event, for the Leader of the Opposition to make clear whether he asked
that question in the knowledge that there would be an interjection from the
gallery. Was it a set-up?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am
going to provide instruction to members in this place on both sides that I had
an awareness that there could have been an interruption to today's
proceedings, and I provided instructions to officers in this Parliament along
those lines. I cannot say further than that. The gentleman has a history in
this place and the other place as well. I ask the Premier to conclude his
remarks. There is no point of order.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I am asking the Premier to withdraw the imputation he
made, which was offensive, rude and wrong.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members, if you want me to stop question time at this
point, I am quite prepared to do that. I have given members the information
with which I was provided and with which nobody else in this place was provided
so that I could make sure that the officers of this Parliament would be
prepared if there was an incident in the public gallery. There was an incident
in the public gallery, and I believe it has been successfully dealt with. It
would be best that we moved on from that point, members. It does us no credit
whatsoever. There is no ability in this place whatsoever —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah and member for Warnbro, I formally call you to
order. Members, I am on my feet providing everybody in this place with
instruction. I am going to indicate to the Premier what I have indicated to all
of you, that the only member of Parliament who was made aware that there might
be a possible interruption was me, and I took appropriate action. I think,
Premier, it would be in the best interests of this place to indicate to the
Leader of the Opposition that you, sir, were also unaware of that process.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Certainly I was unaware, but we will carry on.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members, you do not help the process at all—people on
either side of this place. Member for Mandurah, I formally call you to order
for the second time today. I call the member for Armadale to order for the
first time today. Premier, I am going to ask you to withdraw the comment you
made with respect to the Leader of the Opposition's point of order.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, my comment was a question.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Premier, I am simply going to ask you to withdraw the question,
then, that you asked of the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I withdraw.
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