A parliamentary question regarding the Department of Water's decision to grant a license for aquifer drawdown for a mining project. The Minister expresses confidence in the license conditions and refers to existing legislation for penalties, but full license details are not publicly available.

AnsweredQoN 823Legislative Council
Asked
27 September 2011
Portfolio
Water

QuestionView source ↗

DEPARTMENT OF WATER — PARMELIA AQUIFER DRAWDOWN
I refer to the Department of Water’s decision to grant a licence for the drawdown of five gigalitres of fresh, potable water from the Parmelia aquifer for a mining project east of Mingenew. (1) Is the minister completely confident that the licence conditions set by the department on Karara Mining–Gindalbie Metals would prevent any adverse impact on the aquifer from the mining companies’ drawdown? (2) If yes, what specific licence conditions will prevent an adverse impact on the aquifer? (3) What penalties, if any, are in place in the licence conditions and will apply if Karara Mining–Gindalbie Metals are found to have an adverse impact on the Parmelia aquifer? (4) Is a copy of the full licence, with all conditions and penalties, publicly available; and, if not, why not and, if yes, where can it be obtained? Hon HELEN MORTON

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(1) Is the minister completely confident that the licence conditions set by the department on Karara Mining–Gindalbie Metals would prevent any adverse impact on the aquifer from the mining companies’ drawdown? (2) If yes, what specific licence conditions will prevent an adverse impact on the aquifer? (3) What penalties, if any, are in place in the licence conditions and will apply if Karara Mining–Gindalbie Metals are found to have an adverse impact on the Parmelia aquifer? (4) Is a copy of the full licence, with all conditions and penalties, publicly available; and, if not, why not and, if yes, where can it be obtained? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(2) If yes, what specific licence conditions will prevent an adverse impact on the aquifer? (3) What penalties, if any, are in place in the licence conditions and will apply if Karara Mining–Gindalbie Metals are found to have an adverse impact on the Parmelia aquifer? (4) Is a copy of the full licence, with all conditions and penalties, publicly available; and, if not, why not and, if yes, where can it be obtained? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(3) What penalties, if any, are in place in the licence conditions and will apply if Karara Mining–Gindalbie Metals are found to have an adverse impact on the Parmelia aquifer? (4) Is a copy of the full licence, with all conditions and penalties, publicly available; and, if not, why not and, if yes, where can it be obtained? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(4) Is a copy of the full licence, with all conditions and penalties, publicly available; and, if not, why not and, if yes, where can it be obtained? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(1) Yes. (2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(2) The licensee is required to undertake aquifer monitoring as a condition of the licence. (3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(3) The provisions to enforce penalties are stated within the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. (4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.
(4) No; the only publicly available information can be accessed using the Department of Water’s online licence register.

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