❓ Debate over Rio Tinto's HIsmelt project and job losses. McGowan questions Barnett's lack of intervention, while Barnett accuses the opposition of releasing Rio Tinto from prior obligations related to iron ore in the Pilbara.
AnsweredQoN 254Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RIO TINTO — HISMELT PROJECT
I thank the minister for the answer but he failed to answer two parts of the question, and I am just going to seek, again, advice. Did the minister put any counterproposal to the company when it advised him that it was going to sack 100 Western Australian workers? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I thank the minister for the answer but he failed to answer two parts of the question, and I am just going to seek, again, advice. Did the minister put any counterproposal to the company when it advised him that it was going to sack 100 Western Australian workers? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
No, I did not put a counterproposal relating to HIsmelt. Mr M. McGowan : So, the minister just let it do it under the act—no consequence? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: No, I did not put a counterproposal relating to HIsmelt. Mr M. McGowan : So, the minister just let it do it under the act—no consequence? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
No, I did not put a counterproposal relating to HIsmelt. Mr M. McGowan : So, the minister just let it do it under the act—no consequence? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : So, the minister just let it do it under the act—no consequence? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: No, I did not put a counterproposal relating to HIsmelt. Mr M. McGowan : So, the minister just let it do it under the act—no consequence? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
No, I did not put a counterproposal relating to HIsmelt. Mr M. McGowan : So, the minister just let it do it under the act—no consequence? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : So, the minister just let it do it under the act—no consequence? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; members opposite released it from its responsibilities under the act. Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : The act is here, my friend. Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : You released it from — Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : Did you even look at the act? Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, Mr Speaker, there has been no — Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr M. McGowan : So, we let them out by making them build the projects? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hang on — The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Rockingham! Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The obligations on Rio Tinto related to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, not HIsmelt. Members opposite made a decision when Rio Tinto came to them as a government. It came to me, when I was a minister in the late 1990s, and said, “Would you let us off all of our iron ore obligations if we build HIsmelt?” In fact, they wanted to build HIsmelt in Canada or North America somewhere, and I said no. Members opposite came into power and they let it off the lot like that—you suckers!
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