❓ Question regarding diversification permits on Gogo Station, Kimberley, focusing on potential thallium and arsenic contamination, water usage, and awareness of contamination among owners, traditional owners, and residents.
AnsweredQoN 1396Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Gogo Station in the Kimberley, whose
lease is owned by Malcolm Harris and Ken Harris, and I ask: (a) how many diversification permits are there for
the Gogo Station Lease; (b) will the Minister please provide a list of the permits, including: (i) the date they were granted; (ii) the area in hectares; (iii) the purpose they were granted for; (iv) a map of them; and (v) state what they are currently being used for; (c) if no to (b), why not; (d) what records are kept of the activities on land
subject to diversification permits; (e) is the Minister aware that thallium, a heavy
metal which is highly toxic, comparable or greater in toxicity to lead or
mercury, as well as arsenic has been found in concentrations potentially
harmful to health and the environment in the vicinity of the diversification
permit areas; (f) has any of the water being used to irrigate the
land subject to the diversification permits on Gogo station been taken from
sources which may have been contaminated; (g) will the Minister detail the precise locations
of where water was extracted from for the purposes of irrigating the land
subject to the diversification permits; (h) if no to (g), why not; (i) has any contaminated surface water flowed into
Gogo Station land outside of the Pilbara mining tenements; (j) if no to (i), what evidence does the Minister
have to show this is not the case; (k) when were the owners of the Gogo Station
pastoral lease made aware of the potential for contaminants including highly
toxic thallium, arsenic and other heavy metals on the their lease; (l) have the Gooniyandi Traditional Owners been made
aware of the contaminated site on their country; (m) if no to (l), why not; (n) if yes to (l), when were they informed and by whom; (o) have the residents of Joy Springs been
made aware of the contaminated site; (p) if no to (o), why not; (q) if yes to (o), when were they informed and by whom; (r) have the residents of Muludja been made aware of
the contaminated site; (s) if no to (r), why not; and (t) if yes to (r), when were they informed and by whom?
lease is owned by Malcolm Harris and Ken Harris, and I ask: (a) how many diversification permits are there for
the Gogo Station Lease; (b) will the Minister please provide a list of the permits, including: (i) the date they were granted; (ii) the area in hectares; (iii) the purpose they were granted for; (iv) a map of them; and (v) state what they are currently being used for; (c) if no to (b), why not; (d) what records are kept of the activities on land
subject to diversification permits; (e) is the Minister aware that thallium, a heavy
metal which is highly toxic, comparable or greater in toxicity to lead or
mercury, as well as arsenic has been found in concentrations potentially
harmful to health and the environment in the vicinity of the diversification
permit areas; (f) has any of the water being used to irrigate the
land subject to the diversification permits on Gogo station been taken from
sources which may have been contaminated; (g) will the Minister detail the precise locations
of where water was extracted from for the purposes of irrigating the land
subject to the diversification permits; (h) if no to (g), why not; (i) has any contaminated surface water flowed into
Gogo Station land outside of the Pilbara mining tenements; (j) if no to (i), what evidence does the Minister
have to show this is not the case; (k) when were the owners of the Gogo Station
pastoral lease made aware of the potential for contaminants including highly
toxic thallium, arsenic and other heavy metals on the their lease; (l) have the Gooniyandi Traditional Owners been made
aware of the contaminated site on their country; (m) if no to (l), why not; (n) if yes to (l), when were they informed and by whom; (o) have the residents of Joy Springs been
made aware of the contaminated site; (p) if no to (o), why not; (q) if yes to (o), when were they informed and by whom; (r) have the residents of Muludja been made aware of
the contaminated site; (s) if no to (r), why not; and (t) if yes to (r), when were they informed and by whom?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 August 2018
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Lands
Response time
9 days
(a) Six
(b)
(i)-(v) [See tabled paper no]
(c) Not applicable
(d) Pursuant to section 113 of the Land Administration Act 1997, pastoralists are required to submit to the Pastoral Lands Board an annual return, after 30 June each year, including full particulars of the use of each area of land affected by a permit.
(e) No
(f)-(t) Matters relating to water supply and site contamination should be redirected to the Minister for Water and the Minister for Environment.
(b)
(i)-(v) [See tabled paper no]
(c) Not applicable
(d) Pursuant to section 113 of the Land Administration Act 1997, pastoralists are required to submit to the Pastoral Lands Board an annual return, after 30 June each year, including full particulars of the use of each area of land affected by a permit.
(e) No
(f)-(t) Matters relating to water supply and site contamination should be redirected to the Minister for Water and the Minister for Environment.
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