❓ A parliamentary question regarding dredging operations at Geraldton port, specifically concerning environmental protection and potential cost overruns due to seagrass protection measures. The Minister's response defends the thoroughness of the investigations and expresses confidence in project completion within budget.
AnsweredQoN 1275Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regard to the dredging operation in Geraldton port, the front page article of The Geraldton Guardian of Wednesday, 3 September states - FUNDS for Geraldton’s port redevelopment could dry up before the project’s completion . . . That is the case if the Geraldton Port Authority were required to stop dredging operations to protect Champion Bay’s seagrass when the sediment plume passes certain levels. In the same article the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Alannah MacTiernan, was quoted as saying - . . . the Government would fund the project to completion. (1) What bedrock core sampling did URS (Australia) Pty Ltd, the main environmental consultants for the project, undertake at Geraldton? (2) Given that taxpayers may be exposed to the extra costs that could be incurred for complying with the Environmental Protection Authority’s recently imposed section 73, will the Government seek to recover any of those costs from URS? Hon KEN TRAVERS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
(2) Given that taxpayers may be exposed to the extra costs that could be incurred for complying with the Environmental Protection Authority’s recently imposed section 73, will the Government seek to recover any of those costs from URS? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
(1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
(2) Given that taxpayers may be exposed to the extra costs that could be incurred for complying with the Environmental Protection Authority’s recently imposed section 73, will the Government seek to recover any of those costs from URS? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
(1)-(2) The minister has been advised that the subsurface investigation at Champion Bay conducted by the Geraldton Port Authority is probably the most comprehensive and extensive ever conducted for a project of this type. The geophysical work was carried out by Fugro, drilling by Stolt, laboratory testing by Western Geotechnics and peer review by Douglas Partners. URS provided geotechnical supervision. The short-listed potential tenderers, including the successful tenderer, interactively participated in the whole process. The extent of the investigation was greater than that requested or recommended by the dredge contractors. The geophysical and geotechnical investigations are not believed to be an issue with regard to the potential cost impact of the Department of Environmental Protection’s section 73 imposition. The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure is committed to her agencies working closely with the environmental authorities to ensure the seagrass is protected. We are confident the project can be completed on time and within budget.
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