❓ Hon. Norman Moore questions BHP Billiton's downstream processing obligations after the closure of the direct reduced iron plant. The Minister responds, stating BHP Billiton fulfilled initial obligations and outlines the process for agreement termination.
AnsweredQoN 528Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What obligations does BHP Billiton have under state agreement acts to engage in downstream processing in Western Australia? (2) Will the decision by BHP Billiton to close the direct reduced iron plant at Port Hedland affect the company’s obligation under state agreements acts; and, if so, how? (3) Did the company seek the government’s support for its decision to close the plant; and, if so, did the government give its support and why? (4) What action will the minister be taking to ensure that BHP Billiton engages in further downstream processing of its iron ore in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(2) Will the decision by BHP Billiton to close the direct reduced iron plant at Port Hedland affect the company’s obligation under state agreements acts; and, if so, how? (3) Did the company seek the government’s support for its decision to close the plant; and, if so, did the government give its support and why? (4) What action will the minister be taking to ensure that BHP Billiton engages in further downstream processing of its iron ore in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(3) Did the company seek the government’s support for its decision to close the plant; and, if so, did the government give its support and why? (4) What action will the minister be taking to ensure that BHP Billiton engages in further downstream processing of its iron ore in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(4) What action will the minister be taking to ensure that BHP Billiton engages in further downstream processing of its iron ore in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(2) Will the decision by BHP Billiton to close the direct reduced iron plant at Port Hedland affect the company’s obligation under state agreements acts; and, if so, how? (3) Did the company seek the government’s support for its decision to close the plant; and, if so, did the government give its support and why? (4) What action will the minister be taking to ensure that BHP Billiton engages in further downstream processing of its iron ore in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(3) Did the company seek the government’s support for its decision to close the plant; and, if so, did the government give its support and why? (4) What action will the minister be taking to ensure that BHP Billiton engages in further downstream processing of its iron ore in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(4) What action will the minister be taking to ensure that BHP Billiton engages in further downstream processing of its iron ore in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
I thank the member for some notice of this very timely question. (1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(1) BHP Billiton discharged its obligations under state agreements to carry out downstream processing through the construction of the direct reduced iron project in the Pilbara. (2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(2) Yes. Under the Iron Ore - Direct Reduced Iron (BHP) Agreement Act 1996, if the company is of the opinion that the continued operation of the DRI plant is uneconomic to the company, it may give notice to the minister of its desire to terminate the above agreement. (3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(3) The company did brief government on its anticipated decision to close the DRI plant. However, the formal notice under the state agreement act has not been received. (4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
(4) The minister consistently reminds resource companies that the Western Australian community expects to see genuine effort towards downstream processing to maximise the benefit of the major resource projects to the state.
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