❓ The Minister outlines the government's support for the mid-west iron ore industry, highlighting infrastructure investments in Geraldton and contrasting it with the previous focus on Oakajee. She emphasizes current progress and future plans for Geraldton port enhancements.
AnsweredQoN 490Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the minister advise the Parliament what the government is doing to support the growth of the mid-west iron ore industry, which has taken off since Labor’s investment in the Geraldton transport infrastructure? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question and for his excellent hosting of a wonderful function last Saturday at which, once again, the Gallop Labor government showed that it is delivering massive infrastructure improvements to regional Western Australia. No place has received more focus than Geraldton. As we all know, Geraldton was put on hold for eight years while the dream of Oakajee was pursued to the exclusion of all other options. On Saturday, the Premier and I joined with the member for Geraldton to open the southern transport corridor, a link that will now be named after another fabulous Labor premier, John Willcock. The suite of transport infrastructure that we have put in place in Geraldton has turned that place around. In particular, it has turned around the iron ore industry. I will take a few minutes to talk about what direction the iron ore industry in the mid-west will take. Our engagement of the port enhancement project enabled iron ore export from Geraldton for the first time in 40 years. Mount Gibson Iron Ltd got up on the back of that port enhancement. I am pleased to say that it has increased its tonnages. Indeed, Mount Gibson Iron expects to transport some three million tonnes of iron ore this year through the Geraldton port. Between them, five modest but bankable projects are projected to generate around 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Those production levels are set to be undertaken by 2009-2010. By that time, something in the order of 15 to 20 million tonnes of iron ore will be transported from the Geraldton port. We are now committed to further enhancements of the Geraldton port. As I stated at the economic summit held in Geraldton on Friday, we are considering a redevelopment of berth 5 as a specialist iron ore berth. As I told the summit, those people who have been going around promoting the idea that we should put our foot on the hose of the Geraldton port to save up projects so that we can get Oakajee going are very unwise. There is a place for Oakajee; indeed, we have always said that once there is a project of sufficient scale to justify it, we will support it. We have always said that. There is a difference between vision and fantasy. The fantasisers are on the other side! The reality speaks for itself. For eight years, nothing happened in Geraldton! Property prices were going downhill. People were leaving the town. There is now a total turnaround. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question and for his excellent hosting of a wonderful function last Saturday at which, once again, the Gallop Labor government showed that it is delivering massive infrastructure improvements to regional Western Australia. No place has received more focus than Geraldton. As we all know, Geraldton was put on hold for eight years while the dream of Oakajee was pursued to the exclusion of all other options. On Saturday, the Premier and I joined with the member for Geraldton to open the southern transport corridor, a link that will now be named after another fabulous Labor premier, John Willcock. The suite of transport infrastructure that we have put in place in Geraldton has turned that place around. In particular, it has turned around the iron ore industry. I will take a few minutes to talk about what direction the iron ore industry in the mid-west will take. Our engagement of the port enhancement project enabled iron ore export from Geraldton for the first time in 40 years. Mount Gibson Iron Ltd got up on the back of that port enhancement. I am pleased to say that it has increased its tonnages. Indeed, Mount Gibson Iron expects to transport some three million tonnes of iron ore this year through the Geraldton port. Between them, five modest but bankable projects are projected to generate around 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Those production levels are set to be undertaken by 2009-2010. By that time, something in the order of 15 to 20 million tonnes of iron ore will be transported from the Geraldton port. We are now committed to further enhancements of the Geraldton port. As I stated at the economic summit held in Geraldton on Friday, we are considering a redevelopment of berth 5 as a specialist iron ore berth. As I told the summit, those people who have been going around promoting the idea that we should put our foot on the hose of the Geraldton port to save up projects so that we can get Oakajee going are very unwise. There is a place for Oakajee; indeed, we have always said that once there is a project of sufficient scale to justify it, we will support it. We have always said that. There is a difference between vision and fantasy. The fantasisers are on the other side! The reality speaks for itself. For eight years, nothing happened in Geraldton! Property prices were going downhill. People were leaving the town. There is now a total turnaround. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
I thank the member for the question and for his excellent hosting of a wonderful function last Saturday at which, once again, the Gallop Labor government showed that it is delivering massive infrastructure improvements to regional Western Australia. No place has received more focus than Geraldton. As we all know, Geraldton was put on hold for eight years while the dream of Oakajee was pursued to the exclusion of all other options. On Saturday, the Premier and I joined with the member for Geraldton to open the southern transport corridor, a link that will now be named after another fabulous Labor premier, John Willcock. The suite of transport infrastructure that we have put in place in Geraldton has turned that place around. In particular, it has turned around the iron ore industry. I will take a few minutes to talk about what direction the iron ore industry in the mid-west will take. Our engagement of the port enhancement project enabled iron ore export from Geraldton for the first time in 40 years. Mount Gibson Iron Ltd got up on the back of that port enhancement. I am pleased to say that it has increased its tonnages. Indeed, Mount Gibson Iron expects to transport some three million tonnes of iron ore this year through the Geraldton port. Between them, five modest but bankable projects are projected to generate around 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Those production levels are set to be undertaken by 2009-2010. By that time, something in the order of 15 to 20 million tonnes of iron ore will be transported from the Geraldton port. We are now committed to further enhancements of the Geraldton port. As I stated at the economic summit held in Geraldton on Friday, we are considering a redevelopment of berth 5 as a specialist iron ore berth. As I told the summit, those people who have been going around promoting the idea that we should put our foot on the hose of the Geraldton port to save up projects so that we can get Oakajee going are very unwise. There is a place for Oakajee; indeed, we have always said that once there is a project of sufficient scale to justify it, we will support it. We have always said that. There is a difference between vision and fantasy. The fantasisers are on the other side! The reality speaks for itself. For eight years, nothing happened in Geraldton! Property prices were going downhill. People were leaving the town. There is now a total turnaround. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
I will take a few minutes to talk about what direction the iron ore industry in the mid-west will take. Our engagement of the port enhancement project enabled iron ore export from Geraldton for the first time in 40 years. Mount Gibson Iron Ltd got up on the back of that port enhancement. I am pleased to say that it has increased its tonnages. Indeed, Mount Gibson Iron expects to transport some three million tonnes of iron ore this year through the Geraldton port. Between them, five modest but bankable projects are projected to generate around 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Those production levels are set to be undertaken by 2009-2010. By that time, something in the order of 15 to 20 million tonnes of iron ore will be transported from the Geraldton port. We are now committed to further enhancements of the Geraldton port. As I stated at the economic summit held in Geraldton on Friday, we are considering a redevelopment of berth 5 as a specialist iron ore berth. As I told the summit, those people who have been going around promoting the idea that we should put our foot on the hose of the Geraldton port to save up projects so that we can get Oakajee going are very unwise. There is a place for Oakajee; indeed, we have always said that once there is a project of sufficient scale to justify it, we will support it. We have always said that. There is a difference between vision and fantasy. The fantasisers are on the other side! The reality speaks for itself. For eight years, nothing happened in Geraldton! Property prices were going downhill. People were leaving the town. There is now a total turnaround. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question and for his excellent hosting of a wonderful function last Saturday at which, once again, the Gallop Labor government showed that it is delivering massive infrastructure improvements to regional Western Australia. No place has received more focus than Geraldton. As we all know, Geraldton was put on hold for eight years while the dream of Oakajee was pursued to the exclusion of all other options. On Saturday, the Premier and I joined with the member for Geraldton to open the southern transport corridor, a link that will now be named after another fabulous Labor premier, John Willcock. The suite of transport infrastructure that we have put in place in Geraldton has turned that place around. In particular, it has turned around the iron ore industry. I will take a few minutes to talk about what direction the iron ore industry in the mid-west will take. Our engagement of the port enhancement project enabled iron ore export from Geraldton for the first time in 40 years. Mount Gibson Iron Ltd got up on the back of that port enhancement. I am pleased to say that it has increased its tonnages. Indeed, Mount Gibson Iron expects to transport some three million tonnes of iron ore this year through the Geraldton port. Between them, five modest but bankable projects are projected to generate around 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Those production levels are set to be undertaken by 2009-2010. By that time, something in the order of 15 to 20 million tonnes of iron ore will be transported from the Geraldton port. We are now committed to further enhancements of the Geraldton port. As I stated at the economic summit held in Geraldton on Friday, we are considering a redevelopment of berth 5 as a specialist iron ore berth. As I told the summit, those people who have been going around promoting the idea that we should put our foot on the hose of the Geraldton port to save up projects so that we can get Oakajee going are very unwise. There is a place for Oakajee; indeed, we have always said that once there is a project of sufficient scale to justify it, we will support it. We have always said that. There is a difference between vision and fantasy. The fantasisers are on the other side! The reality speaks for itself. For eight years, nothing happened in Geraldton! Property prices were going downhill. People were leaving the town. There is now a total turnaround. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
I thank the member for the question and for his excellent hosting of a wonderful function last Saturday at which, once again, the Gallop Labor government showed that it is delivering massive infrastructure improvements to regional Western Australia. No place has received more focus than Geraldton. As we all know, Geraldton was put on hold for eight years while the dream of Oakajee was pursued to the exclusion of all other options. On Saturday, the Premier and I joined with the member for Geraldton to open the southern transport corridor, a link that will now be named after another fabulous Labor premier, John Willcock. The suite of transport infrastructure that we have put in place in Geraldton has turned that place around. In particular, it has turned around the iron ore industry. I will take a few minutes to talk about what direction the iron ore industry in the mid-west will take. Our engagement of the port enhancement project enabled iron ore export from Geraldton for the first time in 40 years. Mount Gibson Iron Ltd got up on the back of that port enhancement. I am pleased to say that it has increased its tonnages. Indeed, Mount Gibson Iron expects to transport some three million tonnes of iron ore this year through the Geraldton port. Between them, five modest but bankable projects are projected to generate around 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Those production levels are set to be undertaken by 2009-2010. By that time, something in the order of 15 to 20 million tonnes of iron ore will be transported from the Geraldton port. We are now committed to further enhancements of the Geraldton port. As I stated at the economic summit held in Geraldton on Friday, we are considering a redevelopment of berth 5 as a specialist iron ore berth. As I told the summit, those people who have been going around promoting the idea that we should put our foot on the hose of the Geraldton port to save up projects so that we can get Oakajee going are very unwise. There is a place for Oakajee; indeed, we have always said that once there is a project of sufficient scale to justify it, we will support it. We have always said that. There is a difference between vision and fantasy. The fantasisers are on the other side! The reality speaks for itself. For eight years, nothing happened in Geraldton! Property prices were going downhill. People were leaving the town. There is now a total turnaround. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
I will take a few minutes to talk about what direction the iron ore industry in the mid-west will take. Our engagement of the port enhancement project enabled iron ore export from Geraldton for the first time in 40 years. Mount Gibson Iron Ltd got up on the back of that port enhancement. I am pleased to say that it has increased its tonnages. Indeed, Mount Gibson Iron expects to transport some three million tonnes of iron ore this year through the Geraldton port. Between them, five modest but bankable projects are projected to generate around 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Those production levels are set to be undertaken by 2009-2010. By that time, something in the order of 15 to 20 million tonnes of iron ore will be transported from the Geraldton port. We are now committed to further enhancements of the Geraldton port. As I stated at the economic summit held in Geraldton on Friday, we are considering a redevelopment of berth 5 as a specialist iron ore berth. As I told the summit, those people who have been going around promoting the idea that we should put our foot on the hose of the Geraldton port to save up projects so that we can get Oakajee going are very unwise. There is a place for Oakajee; indeed, we have always said that once there is a project of sufficient scale to justify it, we will support it. We have always said that. There is a difference between vision and fantasy. The fantasisers are on the other side! The reality speaks for itself. For eight years, nothing happened in Geraldton! Property prices were going downhill. People were leaving the town. There is now a total turnaround. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Are members finished with the comments about development? I urge the minister to bring her comments to an end. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : It is important to note that the Weld Range proposal, the feasibility of which has been developed by Midwest Corporation, is projected to produce something in the order of 20 million tonnes per annum. That is a sufficient project, according to Midwest Corporation, to justify the expenditure of $600 million on the Oakajee infrastructure. If that proposal proves up - it would take a minimum of five years - the government will be there totally supporting Midwest Corporation in developing the project. However, the government will not tell Geraldton that it is going on hold for the next five years. We are going gang busters in Geraldton and we are going to keep the momentum going.
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