❓ Ms Mettam questions the Premier about potential gagging of Mr. Walsh regarding Gold Corporation. The Premier denies the allegations and explains the complexities of gold purity standards.
AnsweredQoN 108Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOLD CORPORATION — GOLD BAR CONTENT
108. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Is
Mr Walsh's avoidance of media and scrutiny because he did in fact brief
you as Premier; Treasurer and the responsible minister, and has he been gagged?
The SPEAKER : Member, you have
asked two questions. I direct the Premier to answer the first one.
108. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Is
Mr Walsh's avoidance of media and scrutiny because he did in fact brief
you as Premier; Treasurer and the responsible minister, and has he been gagged?
The SPEAKER : Member, you have
asked two questions. I direct the Premier to answer the first one.
AnswerView source ↗
The answer is no and no. I urge
everyone to use accurate language when dealing with this issue. It is a complex
issue to understand—the amount of silver in a bar of gold is in parts
per million. I urge the member to understand that
so her language is correct and right. I urge everyone commenting on this issue
to understand exactly what this is about and to use the correct terms.
Just so all members know, alloying of gold has been around since Roman times.
Ms L. Mettam : Nothing to see.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am just
explaining it so everyone understands. No gold bar is 100 per cent pure because
the refining effort to get it to 100 per cent pure—if it actually can
be done—is a cost far greater than having it at 99.99 per cent. That is why 99.99 per cent is the international
standard, which every single gold bar ever produced by the Perth Mint meets—every
single one has met that. It was just in that remaining component for the
Shanghai Gold Exchange, for that minuscule amount, there was more silver
than copper, and it likes an even distribution of silver, copper and lead.
There is the issue. It was actually two parts per 100 000 more silver than it liked,
because it likes that two parts to be copper not gold. That is the issue that
we are dealing with here. It takes a while to understand because it is complex.
I urge everyone, particularly the opposition, to consider that there are people
around the world who watch all these issues and comment on them, and to make
sure that whatever is said is accurate.
everyone to use accurate language when dealing with this issue. It is a complex
issue to understand—the amount of silver in a bar of gold is in parts
per million. I urge the member to understand that
so her language is correct and right. I urge everyone commenting on this issue
to understand exactly what this is about and to use the correct terms.
Just so all members know, alloying of gold has been around since Roman times.
Ms L. Mettam : Nothing to see.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am just
explaining it so everyone understands. No gold bar is 100 per cent pure because
the refining effort to get it to 100 per cent pure—if it actually can
be done—is a cost far greater than having it at 99.99 per cent. That is why 99.99 per cent is the international
standard, which every single gold bar ever produced by the Perth Mint meets—every
single one has met that. It was just in that remaining component for the
Shanghai Gold Exchange, for that minuscule amount, there was more silver
than copper, and it likes an even distribution of silver, copper and lead.
There is the issue. It was actually two parts per 100 000 more silver than it liked,
because it likes that two parts to be copper not gold. That is the issue that
we are dealing with here. It takes a while to understand because it is complex.
I urge everyone, particularly the opposition, to consider that there are people
around the world who watch all these issues and comment on them, and to make
sure that whatever is said is accurate.
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