❓ A parliamentary question regarding Premier Barnett's comments on major iron ore producers offending China, seeking clarification on specific instances and advice. The Premier responds with examples of past events that caused offense.
AnsweredQoN 440Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
IRON ORE PRODUCERS — PREMIER'S
COMMENTS
440. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Premier:
I refer to the confusing and mixed signals the Premier has provided
during the ongoing iron ore debate and his latest comments on radio this
morning when he said ''major producers have offended the Chinese over
the years''.
(1) Exactly who are the major producers who have offended the Chinese
over the years?
(2) What exactly have these major producers
done to offend the Chinese?
(3) Does the Premier have any advice for those major producers today?
COMMENTS
440. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Premier:
I refer to the confusing and mixed signals the Premier has provided
during the ongoing iron ore debate and his latest comments on radio this
morning when he said ''major producers have offended the Chinese over
the years''.
(1) Exactly who are the major producers who have offended the Chinese
over the years?
(2) What exactly have these major producers
done to offend the Chinese?
(3) Does the Premier have any advice for those major producers today?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I would have thought the
member would have known a little more about the recent history of the iron ore
industry.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Remind us, Premier.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will give the member some examples. It
did not go down too well in the late 1990s when BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto
announced they would merge. Do members remember that? They were going to merge
the whole two businesses—their iron ore operations. It did not go down
too well.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Do members want to hear the answer or not?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call
you to order for the first time. Member for Willagee!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the late 1990s, BHP and Rio Tinto
announced that they would merge their iron ore operations. That was seen as an
attempt to monopolise the market—by the Chinese in particular.
There were other events, obviously including the proposed mining tax.
The Chinese saw that as a tax on China, because the two major commodities they
purchased from Australia were iron ore and coal, which were the two commodities
identified for the mining tax. That was a bit offensive.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Listen to the answer! When the Australian
citizen Stern Hu was arrested by the Chinese, Prime Minister Rudd, and Rio
Tinto in particular, objected strenuously that he was not guilty—when,
in fact, he was guilty. When Rio Tinto courted Chinalco for Chinalco to take a
significant share of Rio Tinto, and for the board of Rio in London to then
reject that, that caused some offence. Quite recently, when they proposed a
merger of the operations of their iron ore operations—another crack—again,
the Chinese were not too happy about that. Is that enough for the member?
member would have known a little more about the recent history of the iron ore
industry.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Remind us, Premier.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will give the member some examples. It
did not go down too well in the late 1990s when BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto
announced they would merge. Do members remember that? They were going to merge
the whole two businesses—their iron ore operations. It did not go down
too well.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Do members want to hear the answer or not?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call
you to order for the first time. Member for Willagee!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the late 1990s, BHP and Rio Tinto
announced that they would merge their iron ore operations. That was seen as an
attempt to monopolise the market—by the Chinese in particular.
There were other events, obviously including the proposed mining tax.
The Chinese saw that as a tax on China, because the two major commodities they
purchased from Australia were iron ore and coal, which were the two commodities
identified for the mining tax. That was a bit offensive.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Listen to the answer! When the Australian
citizen Stern Hu was arrested by the Chinese, Prime Minister Rudd, and Rio
Tinto in particular, objected strenuously that he was not guilty—when,
in fact, he was guilty. When Rio Tinto courted Chinalco for Chinalco to take a
significant share of Rio Tinto, and for the board of Rio in London to then
reject that, that caused some offence. Quite recently, when they proposed a
merger of the operations of their iron ore operations—another crack—again,
the Chinese were not too happy about that. Is that enough for the member?
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