A parliamentary question regarding the safety of Alcoa workers transported through Yarloop bushfire grounds, seeking details on escort arrangements and potential inquiry. The Minister indicates preliminary investigations are underway to determine jurisdiction.

AnsweredQoN 8Legislative Council
Asked
16 February 2016
Portfolio
Mines and Petroleum

QuestionView source ↗

YARLOOP
BUSHFIRES — ALCOA WORKER TRANSPORT
8. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the minister
representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to reports that Alcoa
workers were driven by bus from Pinjarra and Bunbury to Wagerup through the
firegrounds of the Yarloop bushfires in January.
(1) Can the
minister provide details of the escort arrangements used on both the inward and
outward journeys between Pinjarra and Wagerup and between Bunbury and Wagerup?
(2) Who
authorised these escort arrangements?
(3) Is the
minister intending to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding
these reports?
(4) If yes to
(3), when will we know the outcome of the inquiry?
(5) If no to (3),
why not?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Mines and Petroleum —
(1) The
Department of Mines and Petroleum is carrying out preliminary investigations
into these matters to establish jurisdiction and the sequence of events that
transpired during the emergency. At this stage, it would appear that the issue
raised by the honourable member relating to the journeys undertaken to and from
the refinery does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Mines Safety and
Inspection Act 1994.
(2) Management of
the roads and access during the fire was under the control of emergency
services and not the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(3)–(5) Refer to the
response to (1). An investigation is ongoing.

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