❓ The Minister for Mines and Petroleum updates the house on efforts to prevent illicit drug use in transient worker accommodation camps, highlighting collaborative operations between mining companies and WA Police, including targeted testing at various mine sites.
AnsweredQoN 247Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESOURCES
SECTOR — TRANSIENT WORKER CAMPS — ILLICIT DRUGS
247. Mr B.J. GRYLLS to the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
Could the minister please update the house on the efforts to
prevent illicit drug use in the transient worker accommodation camps used by
resource companies in Western Australia?
SECTOR — TRANSIENT WORKER CAMPS — ILLICIT DRUGS
247. Mr B.J. GRYLLS to the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
Could the minister please update the house on the efforts to
prevent illicit drug use in the transient worker accommodation camps used by
resource companies in Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Pilbara for the question. I am
delighted to update the house on the eradication of illicit drugs in mining
camps. I know that the member for Pilbara has a strong interest in and is a
supporter of safety in the industry. One area in which we can be diligent is to
ensure that mine sites do not have illicit drugs. I am very pleased to report
that the collaboration between mining companies and WA Police has resulted in
some firm action being taken in the last few months.
First of all, I report on two operations that have been done
in collaboration with WA Police. In early December, WA Police flew to a
Fortescue Metals Group site and targeted 370 passengers from eight flights.
They also targeted another two FMG sites a few days later. FMG and WA Police
have undertaken special investigations of FMG's sites whereby all passengers were tested.
The operation with FMG was called Red Water. Red Water 2 involved Rio Tinto and
BHP Billiton on three airstrips. That was done in mid-January. There were 10 flights and 594
passengers and their luggage was processed. As part of that operation, they
also tested the occupants of heavy vehicles travelling between Wubin and the
Pilbara about the same time. There were 540 random breath tests and drug tests
undertaken. Indeed, initial tests with the drug dogs had some positive results,
and they have been followed through.
I was also pleased to read in the Kalgoorlie Miner this week that further testing
has been done at Leonora on plane passengers there. Indeed, one thing
highlighted in the Kalgoorlie Miner report is that the testing does not
discriminate in favour of those people who are senior in mining companies.
Indeed, it reports that the chief financial officer was involved in that
particular testing.
Mr F.M. Logan : Was
it positive?
Mr W.R. MARMION :
The member will be pleased to know that it was not positive.
It was also pleasing to hear on the radio that the
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union is also coming out in support
of it. As the Minister for Mines and Petroleum, I acknowledge that we must make
sure that there are no drugs in
mine camps. We want to make sure that they are safe environments for not only the individual but also
fellow workers.
delighted to update the house on the eradication of illicit drugs in mining
camps. I know that the member for Pilbara has a strong interest in and is a
supporter of safety in the industry. One area in which we can be diligent is to
ensure that mine sites do not have illicit drugs. I am very pleased to report
that the collaboration between mining companies and WA Police has resulted in
some firm action being taken in the last few months.
First of all, I report on two operations that have been done
in collaboration with WA Police. In early December, WA Police flew to a
Fortescue Metals Group site and targeted 370 passengers from eight flights.
They also targeted another two FMG sites a few days later. FMG and WA Police
have undertaken special investigations of FMG's sites whereby all passengers were tested.
The operation with FMG was called Red Water. Red Water 2 involved Rio Tinto and
BHP Billiton on three airstrips. That was done in mid-January. There were 10 flights and 594
passengers and their luggage was processed. As part of that operation, they
also tested the occupants of heavy vehicles travelling between Wubin and the
Pilbara about the same time. There were 540 random breath tests and drug tests
undertaken. Indeed, initial tests with the drug dogs had some positive results,
and they have been followed through.
I was also pleased to read in the Kalgoorlie Miner this week that further testing
has been done at Leonora on plane passengers there. Indeed, one thing
highlighted in the Kalgoorlie Miner report is that the testing does not
discriminate in favour of those people who are senior in mining companies.
Indeed, it reports that the chief financial officer was involved in that
particular testing.
Mr F.M. Logan : Was
it positive?
Mr W.R. MARMION :
The member will be pleased to know that it was not positive.
It was also pleasing to hear on the radio that the
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union is also coming out in support
of it. As the Minister for Mines and Petroleum, I acknowledge that we must make
sure that there are no drugs in
mine camps. We want to make sure that they are safe environments for not only the individual but also
fellow workers.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.