❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Environment regarding asbestos management plans for Rio Tinto's rail spur project in Wittenoom. The Minister responds that asbestos management is addressed in the EPA's recommendations for the project.
AnsweredQoN 22Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
RIO TINTO —
RAIL SPUR — WITTENOOM
22. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
minister representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to Rio Tinto's plans to build a rail spur
through the Wittenoom area.
(1) Will the
Minister for Environment provide information on how the asbestos fibres will be
removed before he approves Rio Tinto's plans?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
RAIL SPUR — WITTENOOM
22. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
minister representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to Rio Tinto's plans to build a rail spur
through the Wittenoom area.
(1) Will the
Minister for Environment provide information on how the asbestos fibres will be
removed before he approves Rio Tinto's plans?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question.
The Minister for Environment has provided the following
response —
(1)–(2)
The Environmental Protection Authority's report and recommendations for
the Koodaideri iron ore and infrastructure project include recommended
environmental condition 12, which details how asbestos will be managed during
the design and construction of the rail spur. The minister is currently
consulting with decision-making authorities regarding the proposal before he
makes his decision as to whether the proposal should be implemented.
Point of Order
Hon ADELE FARINA : Before asking my question, I seek the
President's indulgence to raise a point of order to seek some
direction. I lodged in the normal process a question without notice numbered
C027 relating specifically to the Maritime Archaeology Act and the minister's
powers under that act. The minister responsible for that act is the Minister
for Culture and the Arts, and I directed the question to him. The government
has redirected that question to the Minister for Environment, which makes a
nonsense out of the question, because it specifically relates to the exercise
of the minister responsible for the act's powers under the act. I think
it is totally inappropriate for the government to simply redirect the question
to another minister when an act of Parliament has already determined which
minister is responsible for the administration of the minister's powers
under that act. I seek that the President make a ruling that that question be
directed to the Minister for Culture and the Arts, as I originally requested.
The PRESIDENT : I hear the point of order, although it
seems that the member asking the question already knows the answer. I have not
even heard the question, so can the member ask the question and we will see
what the response is, and then I can make better sense of the whole thing?
Sorry; I might have
slightly misunderstood that. Is this a question on notice or a question without
notice of which some notice has been given?
Hon ADELE FARINA : It is a question without notice of which
some notice has been given.
The PRESIDENT : In the chair, I am completely in the dark
about what that question is, and I cannot really pass comment or make a
judgement until I have heard the question and what the relevant minister, or
the minister who had the question referred to them, has had to say in response.
If the member would like to ask the question, I will hear the answer and
perhaps follow it up.
The Minister for Environment has provided the following
response —
(1)–(2)
The Environmental Protection Authority's report and recommendations for
the Koodaideri iron ore and infrastructure project include recommended
environmental condition 12, which details how asbestos will be managed during
the design and construction of the rail spur. The minister is currently
consulting with decision-making authorities regarding the proposal before he
makes his decision as to whether the proposal should be implemented.
Point of Order
Hon ADELE FARINA : Before asking my question, I seek the
President's indulgence to raise a point of order to seek some
direction. I lodged in the normal process a question without notice numbered
C027 relating specifically to the Maritime Archaeology Act and the minister's
powers under that act. The minister responsible for that act is the Minister
for Culture and the Arts, and I directed the question to him. The government
has redirected that question to the Minister for Environment, which makes a
nonsense out of the question, because it specifically relates to the exercise
of the minister responsible for the act's powers under the act. I think
it is totally inappropriate for the government to simply redirect the question
to another minister when an act of Parliament has already determined which
minister is responsible for the administration of the minister's powers
under that act. I seek that the President make a ruling that that question be
directed to the Minister for Culture and the Arts, as I originally requested.
The PRESIDENT : I hear the point of order, although it
seems that the member asking the question already knows the answer. I have not
even heard the question, so can the member ask the question and we will see
what the response is, and then I can make better sense of the whole thing?
Sorry; I might have
slightly misunderstood that. Is this a question on notice or a question without
notice of which some notice has been given?
Hon ADELE FARINA : It is a question without notice of which
some notice has been given.
The PRESIDENT : In the chair, I am completely in the dark
about what that question is, and I cannot really pass comment or make a
judgement until I have heard the question and what the relevant minister, or
the minister who had the question referred to them, has had to say in response.
If the member would like to ask the question, I will hear the answer and
perhaps follow it up.
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