❓ A Member of Parliament questions the chosen route for a powerline due to its impact on agricultural land and cost. The Minister defends the decision, citing environmental concerns and prior consultation.
AnsweredQoN 489Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ENEABBA-MOONYOONOOKA POWERLINE ROUTE
Given the acknowledged need and announced commitment to build a powerline between Eneabba and Moonyoonooka, and the recent decision, following a consultative process by Western Power, to select a particular route, I ask - (1) Why does the proposed route zigzag through the most productive agricultural land in the region? (2) Is the minister prepared to review the decision and take the powerline in a more direct line through far less productive country and save $30 million in building costs? (3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN
Given the acknowledged need and announced commitment to build a powerline between Eneabba and Moonyoonooka, and the recent decision, following a consultative process by Western Power, to select a particular route, I ask - (1) Why does the proposed route zigzag through the most productive agricultural land in the region? (2) Is the minister prepared to review the decision and take the powerline in a more direct line through far less productive country and save $30 million in building costs? (3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(1) Why does the proposed route zigzag through the most productive agricultural land in the region? (2) Is the minister prepared to review the decision and take the powerline in a more direct line through far less productive country and save $30 million in building costs? (3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(2) Is the minister prepared to review the decision and take the powerline in a more direct line through far less productive country and save $30 million in building costs? (3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(1) Why does the proposed route zigzag through the most productive agricultural land in the region? (2) Is the minister prepared to review the decision and take the powerline in a more direct line through far less productive country and save $30 million in building costs? (3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(2) Is the minister prepared to review the decision and take the powerline in a more direct line through far less productive country and save $30 million in building costs? (3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(3) If this proposed route is followed, what compensation mechanism will be applied to landowners? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: (1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(1) I thank the member for the question. There is always a lot of debate about the chosen routes for transmission lines. Obviously, many people object to high transmission lines going through their property, or to even being within eyesight of high transmission lines. Nevertheless, those transmission lines are fundamental to the provision of electricity to all our homes. Our lifestyle and our economy could not be achieved without the construction of those transmission lines, so they are necessary. An awful lot of thought and planning is put into the decision on where those transmission lines should be put prior to the route being chosen. The route that the member has just highlighted is no different. As the member knows, there was a significant level of consultation about where that transmission line should end up going. The route that was chosen may well zigzag, but it probably zigzags around areas that the member says are unproductive but that other people would say are very highly environmentally sensitive. Because of the nature of those reserves, and the time that would be taken, even if we were able to get approval to put those transmission lines through those reserves, it is far more efficient to go through land that is already cleared and that does not have environmental constraints placed upon it Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
Mr G. Snook : They already use reserves. Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is true, member. They do go through reserves. However, I can tell the member that it takes a significant amount of time to get approval. Nowadays, those approval notices are getting more and more difficult to obtain, for obvious reasons, because many of these areas are environmentally sensitive. That is the reason why the routes are chosen that go through cleared land, with low environmental impact. That is the reason, probably, why the route zigzags. (2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(2) No, I am not going to make a decision to review the route chosen by Western Power, because significant consultation, planning and effort has already been put in by Western Power, and money has been spent by Western Power to construct that powerline. Therefore, no, I am not going to do it. (3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
(3) With respect to compensation for any impact on the productive use of that land, as the member would know, under the act, Western Power is not obliged to provide compensation.
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