❓ A parliamentary question scrutinises a WA ACE grant awarded to the Energy Transformation Association for the Kimberley (ETAK), raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest due to alleged links with fossil fuel companies and mining corporations. The Minister's response addresses these concerns, highlighting the assessment process and public availability of grant outputs.
AnsweredQoN 442Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Energy
Transformation Association for the Kimberley (ETAK) group which was awarded a
$45,000 Western Australian Advocacy for Consumers of Energy (WA ACE) funding
grant in November 2020 to “…develop a co-design platform to raise awareness and
understanding of the energy needs of the Kimberley's communities”, and I ask: (a) according to the Gen
Off-Grid's website it is “…part of a coalition of organisations called Energy
Transformation Association for the Kimberley.”. Can the Minister confirm who the
members of this coalition of organisations are: (i) if no to (a), is the
Minister confident that conflicts of interest are being adequately dealt with
in terms of the outcomes of the grant provided to ETAK by the WA ACE; (b) given there is no
information on the ETAK website stating who its members are, can the Minister
specifically confirm that oil and gas company Buru Energy is part of the ETAK
coalition; (c) is the Minister aware
that Buru Energy is planning a solar farm in the Roebuck Energy Precinct that would also require a large volume of gas to produce its claimed
energy output; (d) can the Minister
confirm whether mining company Sheffield Resources is part of the ETAK
coalition; (e) can the Minister
confirm whether H & M Tracey is a part of the ETAK coalition; (f) according to the
application for incorporation by ETAK, the address of the association is 12
Flowerdale Road, Broome. Is the Minister aware that this is the same as the
business address for Gen Off-Grid; (g) can the Minister
confirm that the applicant who submitted the application for Incorporation for
ETAK, is an employee or contractor of Gen Off-Grid; (h) will the Minister
table the grant application submitted by ETAK which successfully resulted in
the $45,000 grant from the WA ACE fund; (i) will the Minister
table the final grant agreement between ETAK and WA ACE; (j) if no to (h) and/or (i), why not; (k) in the application
for Incorporation, it states that the category which ‘best describes the
association’s main objects or purpose’ is ‘Promotion of the interests of a
local community.’ How will the Minister ensure that it will be the interests of
the local community that will be promoted and not the interests of fossil fuel,
for-profit companies and mining corporations through the $45,000 grant provided
to ETAK; and (l) has ETAK completed
their grant project: (i) if yes to (l), will
the Minister table the grant outputs for the project; and (ii) if no to (l), when
is the project expected to be completed?
Transformation Association for the Kimberley (ETAK) group which was awarded a
$45,000 Western Australian Advocacy for Consumers of Energy (WA ACE) funding
grant in November 2020 to “…develop a co-design platform to raise awareness and
understanding of the energy needs of the Kimberley's communities”, and I ask: (a) according to the Gen
Off-Grid's website it is “…part of a coalition of organisations called Energy
Transformation Association for the Kimberley.”. Can the Minister confirm who the
members of this coalition of organisations are: (i) if no to (a), is the
Minister confident that conflicts of interest are being adequately dealt with
in terms of the outcomes of the grant provided to ETAK by the WA ACE; (b) given there is no
information on the ETAK website stating who its members are, can the Minister
specifically confirm that oil and gas company Buru Energy is part of the ETAK
coalition; (c) is the Minister aware
that Buru Energy is planning a solar farm in the Roebuck Energy Precinct that would also require a large volume of gas to produce its claimed
energy output; (d) can the Minister
confirm whether mining company Sheffield Resources is part of the ETAK
coalition; (e) can the Minister
confirm whether H & M Tracey is a part of the ETAK coalition; (f) according to the
application for incorporation by ETAK, the address of the association is 12
Flowerdale Road, Broome. Is the Minister aware that this is the same as the
business address for Gen Off-Grid; (g) can the Minister
confirm that the applicant who submitted the application for Incorporation for
ETAK, is an employee or contractor of Gen Off-Grid; (h) will the Minister
table the grant application submitted by ETAK which successfully resulted in
the $45,000 grant from the WA ACE fund; (i) will the Minister
table the final grant agreement between ETAK and WA ACE; (j) if no to (h) and/or (i), why not; (k) in the application
for Incorporation, it states that the category which ‘best describes the
association’s main objects or purpose’ is ‘Promotion of the interests of a
local community.’ How will the Minister ensure that it will be the interests of
the local community that will be promoted and not the interests of fossil fuel,
for-profit companies and mining corporations through the $45,000 grant provided
to ETAK; and (l) has ETAK completed
their grant project: (i) if yes to (l), will
the Minister table the grant outputs for the project; and (ii) if no to (l), when
is the project expected to be completed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 February 2022
Responded by
Minister for Regional Development representing the Minister for Energy
Response time
9 days
a. No. The membership of incorporated associations does not form part of the assessment criteria for the Western Australian Advocacy for Consumers of Energy (WA ACE) grants program.
i. Yes. Advocacy activities supported by the WA ACE grants program are intended to assist community organisations, small businesses and households to represent the views of energy consumers. ETAK’s grant application, which included its objectives and proposed use of funding, was assessed against the program criteria. Application assessment was undertaken by an independent panel, each member of which completed a conflict of interest disclosure process.
Grant outputs are publicly available on the Energy Policy WA website, including a report on the activities undertaken.
b. Refer to (a).
c. Not applicable.
d. Refer to (a).
e. Refer to (a).
f. No.
g. Yes. This potential conflict was identified and considered during the application and assessment process.
h. No.
i. No.
j. Publicly available grant outputs provide the relevant information.
k. Refer to response (a)(i).
l. Yes.
i. The grant outputs are available on the Energy Policy WA website.
ii. Not applicable.
i. Yes. Advocacy activities supported by the WA ACE grants program are intended to assist community organisations, small businesses and households to represent the views of energy consumers. ETAK’s grant application, which included its objectives and proposed use of funding, was assessed against the program criteria. Application assessment was undertaken by an independent panel, each member of which completed a conflict of interest disclosure process.
Grant outputs are publicly available on the Energy Policy WA website, including a report on the activities undertaken.
b. Refer to (a).
c. Not applicable.
d. Refer to (a).
e. Refer to (a).
f. No.
g. Yes. This potential conflict was identified and considered during the application and assessment process.
h. No.
i. No.
j. Publicly available grant outputs provide the relevant information.
k. Refer to response (a)(i).
l. Yes.
i. The grant outputs are available on the Energy Policy WA website.
ii. Not applicable.
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