Mr. Birney asks about the legal basis for rejecting a uranium mining lease application. Dr. Edwards avoids the question, accusing the opposition of hypocrisy and 'fishing' for information to force him to stand aside from future decisions.

AnsweredQoN 759Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 November 2005
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

I have a supplementary question. On what legal basis would the minister reject an environmental approval application for one of the five uranium mining leases that has been granted and is current? Dr J.M. EDWARDS

AnswerView source ↗

I am beginning to think that members opposite might well be hypocrites. Members opposite demanded that I, as Minister for the Environment, stand aside from making a decision on Mauds Landing because, unlike the now opposition spokesperson, when I was in opposition I put in an appeal on a proposal following a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority. I did not have to stand aside from that, but I did, because I wanted the issue to be a final decision and not the process of the minister. Mr M.J. Birney : What has this got to do with it? Dr J.M. EDWARDS : The Leader of the Opposition cannot go fishing like this. Whatever answer I gave to that question, the Leader of the Opposition would then have me stand aside from any subsequent proposal that may or may not arise in the future.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS replied: I am beginning to think that members opposite might well be hypocrites. Members opposite demanded that I, as Minister for the Environment, stand aside from making a decision on Mauds Landing because, unlike the now opposition spokesperson, when I was in opposition I put in an appeal on a proposal following a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority. I did not have to stand aside from that, but I did, because I wanted the issue to be a final decision and not the process of the minister. Mr M.J. Birney : What has this got to do with it? Dr J.M. EDWARDS : The Leader of the Opposition cannot go fishing like this. Whatever answer I gave to that question, the Leader of the Opposition would then have me stand aside from any subsequent proposal that may or may not arise in the future.
I am beginning to think that members opposite might well be hypocrites. Members opposite demanded that I, as Minister for the Environment, stand aside from making a decision on Mauds Landing because, unlike the now opposition spokesperson, when I was in opposition I put in an appeal on a proposal following a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority. I did not have to stand aside from that, but I did, because I wanted the issue to be a final decision and not the process of the minister. Mr M.J. Birney : What has this got to do with it? Dr J.M. EDWARDS : The Leader of the Opposition cannot go fishing like this. Whatever answer I gave to that question, the Leader of the Opposition would then have me stand aside from any subsequent proposal that may or may not arise in the future.
Mr M.J. Birney : What has this got to do with it? Dr J.M. EDWARDS : The Leader of the Opposition cannot go fishing like this. Whatever answer I gave to that question, the Leader of the Opposition would then have me stand aside from any subsequent proposal that may or may not arise in the future.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS : The Leader of the Opposition cannot go fishing like this. Whatever answer I gave to that question, the Leader of the Opposition would then have me stand aside from any subsequent proposal that may or may not arise in the future.

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