Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 2376

❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding Gina Rinehart/Hancock Agriculture's water request from the Fitzroy River, land swap proposals, land holdings, and water extraction plans. The Minister provides limited information, stating no formal submissions have been made regarding further development plans or water extraction methods, but acknowledges a verbal discussion.

AnsweredQoN 2376Legislative Council

Asked

13 August 2019

Member

Hon Robin Chapple

Portfolio

Regional Development

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to recent media articles on Gina Rinehart and her request for 325 gigalitres of water from the Fitzroy River, and I ask: (a) has the Minister or department had any discussion with Hancock Agriculture regarding the land swap proposal reported in the media on 26 May 2019; (b) if yes to (a), did Hancock Agriculture detail where it was seeking to swap land; (c) if yes to (b), where is Hancock Agriculture proposing to swap land; (d) what area of freehold land does Hancock Agriculture, or any associated entities, have in the Fitzroy Valley: (i) will the Minister table a map of the land referred to in (d); and (ii) if no to (i), why not; (e) how many hectares of land does Hancock Agriculture, or any associated entities, have as pastoral leases, in the Kimberley: (i) will the Minister table maps of the relevant pastoral leases; and (ii) if no to (i), why not; (f) how much rent was paid by Hancock Agriculture, or any associate entities, for their pastoral leases, in the last financial year: (i) would the Minister table the amounts paid, per lease, over the last financial year; (g) has Hancock Agriculture provided or shown any maps of the proposed land swap to the Minister or department; (h) if yes to (g), will the Minister table the maps; (i) if no to (h), why not; (j) given that Hancock Agriculture is seeking 325 gigalitres of water in order to facilitate the growth of 21,200 hectares of fodder crops, has the Minister or department been provided with details of the proposed area of land, to be transferred from leasehold to freehold, to allow tenure of the developed cropping area and dam: (i) will the Minister table maps of the relevant area(s); and (ii) if no to (i), why not; (k) does the Minister or department know of any plans for future water extraction and/or irrigation at either Mount Krausse and/or Camballin; (l) if yes to (k), will the Minister table any relevant information; (m) if no to (l), why not; and (n) has Hancock Agriculture indicated how it would extract water from the Fitzroy River or its tributaries: (i) if yes to (n), at what location(s); and (ii) if yes to (n), in what manner?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

17 September 2019

Responded by

Minister for Regional Development

Response time

9 days

j.No.
i. Not applicable.
ii. Not applicable.
k. The existing operations (under water licence with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation) at Liveringa (Camballin) are expected to continue. There have been no submissions made to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development or the Minister for Regional Development detailing further development plans at either of these two locations.
l. Not applicable.
m. Not applicable.
n. There have been no submissions made to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development or the Minister for Regional Development outlining this information. In discussion with the Director General on the 26 May 2019, Hancock verbally outlined that they would not be seeking to install dams or instream diversions but would instead be seeking to pump back water to off stream storages.
i. No further details were provided.
ii. No further details were provided.

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