❓ A question regarding the McGowan Labor government's impact on the resources sector, investment, and job creation in Western Australia. The Minister's answer highlights increased production and exports, attributing success to the government's stable leadership and criticising the opposition's negativity.
AnsweredQoN 781Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESOURCES SECTOR
781. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
Can the minister outline to the
house how the confidence that the McGowan Labor government has been able to
provide to the resources industry is delivering new investment and growth
across the sector, and advise the house how this government's focus on
creating jobs in the resources sector is delivering for Western Australians?
781. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
Can the minister outline to the
house how the confidence that the McGowan Labor government has been able to
provide to the resources industry is delivering new investment and growth
across the sector, and advise the house how this government's focus on
creating jobs in the resources sector is delivering for Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
I
am very happy to take that question from the member for Bunbury. Of course, I draw
the attention of the house to the fact that Bunbury is the centre of a major
resources province in Western Australia. There is very, very significant activity in a number of industries and, most importantly, the lithium industry,
with the world's largest lithium mine outside Bunbury in the state's
south west. It is very good to know that last financial year, 2.1 million
tonnes of spodumene was mined in Western Australia. That is a 140 per cent
increase in volume and a 167 per cent increase in value from the previous financial year. Liquefied natural gas
production went up to 38 million tonnes—32 per cent more than
when the Liberal Party was in power. There was a record 212 tonnes of gold
mined in 2016–17. The only negativity about the resources sector is in
the Liberal Party. The only place we can find any negativity about the success
of the resources sector under this government is on the Liberal Party benches.
It is the only negativity we ever hear. There was 826 million tonnes of iron
ore exported from this state. It was a record year for iron ore.
All the records are being set under
this government, because we have provided stable leadership. We have worried
about not just mega-projects; we have worried about every project. We have
worried about not just the ten-billion dollar projects; we have worried about
every single project. The member for Bateman talks about lost projects. The
last eight and a half years was nearly the lost decade. We all remember the
failure to land Browse—the failure to land the single largest resources
project that this state has in front of it. The previous government was
incapable of landing it. It told the companies what to do rather than listening
to them, in exactly the same way as the last time members opposite were in
opposition and they opposed the Gorgon development! The single largest development
in the state's history was opposed by the Liberal Party in opposition;
it voted against the legislation and it was a disgrace. Liberal Party members
are still a disgrace now.
The great thing about the resources
sector is that it has responded to the great opportunities provided by the
stability of a strong government that is focused on the future. We are leaving
the only —
Mr I.C. Blayney : Commodity
prices!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : It is the
commodity cycle. The commodities are all down, my good friend. Commodity prices
are down compared with the height of the boom in 2012. The idea that it is
suddenly a commodity boom is just wrong; this is about careful management by
the companies themselves and good leadership by the Premier that is providing a
stable environment for this state, so that the private sector can get on and
invest. I hope that the Liberal Party will leave its negativity behind and
celebrate the success of this government in being able to manage the resources
sector in the way that it has.
am very happy to take that question from the member for Bunbury. Of course, I draw
the attention of the house to the fact that Bunbury is the centre of a major
resources province in Western Australia. There is very, very significant activity in a number of industries and, most importantly, the lithium industry,
with the world's largest lithium mine outside Bunbury in the state's
south west. It is very good to know that last financial year, 2.1 million
tonnes of spodumene was mined in Western Australia. That is a 140 per cent
increase in volume and a 167 per cent increase in value from the previous financial year. Liquefied natural gas
production went up to 38 million tonnes—32 per cent more than
when the Liberal Party was in power. There was a record 212 tonnes of gold
mined in 2016–17. The only negativity about the resources sector is in
the Liberal Party. The only place we can find any negativity about the success
of the resources sector under this government is on the Liberal Party benches.
It is the only negativity we ever hear. There was 826 million tonnes of iron
ore exported from this state. It was a record year for iron ore.
All the records are being set under
this government, because we have provided stable leadership. We have worried
about not just mega-projects; we have worried about every project. We have
worried about not just the ten-billion dollar projects; we have worried about
every single project. The member for Bateman talks about lost projects. The
last eight and a half years was nearly the lost decade. We all remember the
failure to land Browse—the failure to land the single largest resources
project that this state has in front of it. The previous government was
incapable of landing it. It told the companies what to do rather than listening
to them, in exactly the same way as the last time members opposite were in
opposition and they opposed the Gorgon development! The single largest development
in the state's history was opposed by the Liberal Party in opposition;
it voted against the legislation and it was a disgrace. Liberal Party members
are still a disgrace now.
The great thing about the resources
sector is that it has responded to the great opportunities provided by the
stability of a strong government that is focused on the future. We are leaving
the only —
Mr I.C. Blayney : Commodity
prices!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : It is the
commodity cycle. The commodities are all down, my good friend. Commodity prices
are down compared with the height of the boom in 2012. The idea that it is
suddenly a commodity boom is just wrong; this is about careful management by
the companies themselves and good leadership by the Premier that is providing a
stable environment for this state, so that the private sector can get on and
invest. I hope that the Liberal Party will leave its negativity behind and
celebrate the success of this government in being able to manage the resources
sector in the way that it has.
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