❓ Mr. McGowan questions Premier Barnett regarding cabinet approval of additional taxpayer funding for the Muja AB power station refurbishment. The Premier's response is evasive, promising a fuller report from the Minister for Energy later in the week, and confirms no further public money will be allocated.
AnsweredQoN 317Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MUJA AB — REFURBISHMENT — CABINET APPROVAL
317. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
(1) Did cabinet
approve additional taxpayer funding for the failed Muja AB power station
refurbishment of $2 million in July 2010, $23 million in August 2012, and $47 million
in January 2013; and, if not, who did?
(2) Did cabinet
approve taxpayer funding for the failed Muja AB refurbishment of $5 million
this month; and, if not, who did?
(3) Have any
other additional taxpayer funds been approved for the Muja AB refurbishment;
and, if so, who approved them?
(4) When will the
government make the full statement referred to on the future of Muja AB and
will the government release the engineering advice as part of that statement?
317. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
(1) Did cabinet
approve additional taxpayer funding for the failed Muja AB power station
refurbishment of $2 million in July 2010, $23 million in August 2012, and $47 million
in January 2013; and, if not, who did?
(2) Did cabinet
approve taxpayer funding for the failed Muja AB refurbishment of $5 million
this month; and, if not, who did?
(3) Have any
other additional taxpayer funds been approved for the Muja AB refurbishment;
and, if so, who approved them?
(4) When will the
government make the full statement referred to on the future of Muja AB and
will the government release the engineering advice as part of that statement?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) As
the Minister for Energy said a few moments ago, the government has made a
decision with respect to Muja A and B—units 3 and 4 continue to
operate; units 1 and 2 are basically mothballed, but for how long is yet to be
determined. We will be seeking further information about that and the Minister
for Energy has said he will give a fuller report. There are still some
contractual issues —
Mr
M. McGowan : When's that?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Just listen. There are still some contractual issues to be
sorted out and I would expect that the Minister for Energy would be able to do
that before the end of the week, probably in this Parliament.
Mr
M. McGowan : What about the other questions?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I just answered that one; it was a pretty good answer, I
thought. It was a pretty ordinary question, but a good answer!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : You've got a high opinion of yourself, haven't
you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No—I've got a very low opinion of members
opposite!
That is what we are doing and —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I tell you what: I won my seat a bit more comfortably than
you did! You nearly lost Midland!
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Premier, just answer the question now, thank you.
Ms
R. Saffioti : You don't play the person, do you!
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, it is not.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, I do not play the person but I will not spare anyone in
this chamber opposite me!
That is the process. We have made a
decision to essentially mothball it. Whether that project is reactivated at
some stage, I do not know at this point. It is probably fairly unlikely. As to
the questions of funding approvals, what cabinet has decided is that no more
public money will go into this project. More details of that will be given by
the minister later in the week. All the approvals of funding were done in a
proper way.
the Minister for Energy said a few moments ago, the government has made a
decision with respect to Muja A and B—units 3 and 4 continue to
operate; units 1 and 2 are basically mothballed, but for how long is yet to be
determined. We will be seeking further information about that and the Minister
for Energy has said he will give a fuller report. There are still some
contractual issues —
Mr
M. McGowan : When's that?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Just listen. There are still some contractual issues to be
sorted out and I would expect that the Minister for Energy would be able to do
that before the end of the week, probably in this Parliament.
Mr
M. McGowan : What about the other questions?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I just answered that one; it was a pretty good answer, I
thought. It was a pretty ordinary question, but a good answer!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : You've got a high opinion of yourself, haven't
you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No—I've got a very low opinion of members
opposite!
That is what we are doing and —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I tell you what: I won my seat a bit more comfortably than
you did! You nearly lost Midland!
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Premier, just answer the question now, thank you.
Ms
R. Saffioti : You don't play the person, do you!
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, it is not.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, I do not play the person but I will not spare anyone in
this chamber opposite me!
That is the process. We have made a
decision to essentially mothball it. Whether that project is reactivated at
some stage, I do not know at this point. It is probably fairly unlikely. As to
the questions of funding approvals, what cabinet has decided is that no more
public money will go into this project. More details of that will be given by
the minister later in the week. All the approvals of funding were done in a
proper way.
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