❓ The Premier outlines the government's reforms to WA's environmental approvals process, emphasizing efficiency and support for renewable energy projects, while criticizing the opposition's proposals.
AnsweredQoN 524Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ENVIRONMENT
— APPROVALS — REVIEW
524. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to
slashing green tape for major job-creating projects while preserving our unique
environment.
(1) Can the
Premier provide an update on the Cook Labor government's overhaul of Western
Australia's environmental approval system?
(2) Is the
Premier aware of any alternative approaches to attracting major projects, such
as clean energy and downstream processing?
— APPROVALS — REVIEW
524. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to
slashing green tape for major job-creating projects while preserving our unique
environment.
(1) Can the
Premier provide an update on the Cook Labor government's overhaul of Western
Australia's environmental approval system?
(2) Is the
Premier aware of any alternative approaches to attracting major projects, such
as clean energy and downstream processing?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for the question and the member's commitment towards
our renewable energy future. The renewable energy future is such a crucial part
of Western Australia's economic story and our role in reducing global
emissions. It is very important that we are able to bring these projects
forward as a matter of urgency. Western Australia is a state with a proud
history of bold decisions and bold projects. We have a reputation as a place
where large-scale industry can flourish. As a result, our economy is the engine
room of the nation. To maintain this enviable status, it is vital that the WA
has a government that listens. It is vital to have a government that remains
tuned into the realities of doing business in the state because WA is competing
on a global level. That is why we heavily invest in economic infrastructure
right around the state. That is why we progress nation-leading planning
reforms. That is why we always listen to the innovators,
job creators and investors we need to attract for our state to the reach its
potential. That is why we acted. We
heard that our environmental approvals process needed fixing because as the
scale, complexity and volume of projects in Western Australia increases,
our processes must also keep pace.
Last year, we ordered a review and
began addressing the recommendations upon receiving them. Over the past eight
months we have been getting on with the job. We have allocated more than $44 million
for extra resources for the approvals
agencies, we created the role of coordinator general and removed automatic Environmental Protection Authority referrals
to regional and local planning schemes, and we opened a new EPA office
in the city and established cross-sector triage teams across government to
facilitate approvals.
Today, we will introduce into
Parliament the most significant reforms to our environmental approvals system
in a generation. This legislation will make a number of significant changes to
our environmental protection laws to speed up approvals while maintaining high
environmental standards. Importantly, it will allow for parallel approvals.
Under the current laws, major projects need EPA and environmental approval
before they can move on to the next steps of the approvals process, which can
cause uncertainty and could take years. The opportunity to do parallel
approvals is important.
We are also undertaking a range of
other reforms to the EPA, including strengthening its systems and increasing
the size of its board and making sure it continues to be fit for purpose and
can speedily and efficiently deal with environmental approvals. That is not
about undermining the independence of the EPA
or curtailing the assessment of environmental approvals; this is about making
sure that we are efficient and can address the priorities of the state
today, which are around housing, renewable energy and making sure that our
environmental approvals process is fit for purpose. I am very proud of the
legislation that we will bring forward.
As we know, the Leader of the
Liberal Party tried to pull a swiftie in June. At a breakfast event, she proclaimed bold new reforms to the EPA. The
problem was they were not bold; they were old. The policies that the
Leader of the Liberal Party brought forward were a pale reflection of some of
the measures that we are already putting into place. The Liberal Party had one
unique policy announcement. The Leader of the Liberal Party is welcome to take
all the credit for that one, even though she was trying to steal our policies.
She committed to keep burning coal beyond 2030 into the future. That is because
the Liberals simply do not believe in the
major green energy projects that these reforms are intended to support. Members on the other side simply want to burn coal. We have a bright vision for Western
Australia's renewable future. Every Western Australian should be
reminded when they go to the polls on 8 March next year that the Liberal Party
will drag Western Australia back into the Dark Ages by burning coal, destroying
our environment and taking Western Australia backwards.
I thank the member for the question and the member's commitment towards
our renewable energy future. The renewable energy future is such a crucial part
of Western Australia's economic story and our role in reducing global
emissions. It is very important that we are able to bring these projects
forward as a matter of urgency. Western Australia is a state with a proud
history of bold decisions and bold projects. We have a reputation as a place
where large-scale industry can flourish. As a result, our economy is the engine
room of the nation. To maintain this enviable status, it is vital that the WA
has a government that listens. It is vital to have a government that remains
tuned into the realities of doing business in the state because WA is competing
on a global level. That is why we heavily invest in economic infrastructure
right around the state. That is why we progress nation-leading planning
reforms. That is why we always listen to the innovators,
job creators and investors we need to attract for our state to the reach its
potential. That is why we acted. We
heard that our environmental approvals process needed fixing because as the
scale, complexity and volume of projects in Western Australia increases,
our processes must also keep pace.
Last year, we ordered a review and
began addressing the recommendations upon receiving them. Over the past eight
months we have been getting on with the job. We have allocated more than $44 million
for extra resources for the approvals
agencies, we created the role of coordinator general and removed automatic Environmental Protection Authority referrals
to regional and local planning schemes, and we opened a new EPA office
in the city and established cross-sector triage teams across government to
facilitate approvals.
Today, we will introduce into
Parliament the most significant reforms to our environmental approvals system
in a generation. This legislation will make a number of significant changes to
our environmental protection laws to speed up approvals while maintaining high
environmental standards. Importantly, it will allow for parallel approvals.
Under the current laws, major projects need EPA and environmental approval
before they can move on to the next steps of the approvals process, which can
cause uncertainty and could take years. The opportunity to do parallel
approvals is important.
We are also undertaking a range of
other reforms to the EPA, including strengthening its systems and increasing
the size of its board and making sure it continues to be fit for purpose and
can speedily and efficiently deal with environmental approvals. That is not
about undermining the independence of the EPA
or curtailing the assessment of environmental approvals; this is about making
sure that we are efficient and can address the priorities of the state
today, which are around housing, renewable energy and making sure that our
environmental approvals process is fit for purpose. I am very proud of the
legislation that we will bring forward.
As we know, the Leader of the
Liberal Party tried to pull a swiftie in June. At a breakfast event, she proclaimed bold new reforms to the EPA. The
problem was they were not bold; they were old. The policies that the
Leader of the Liberal Party brought forward were a pale reflection of some of
the measures that we are already putting into place. The Liberal Party had one
unique policy announcement. The Leader of the Liberal Party is welcome to take
all the credit for that one, even though she was trying to steal our policies.
She committed to keep burning coal beyond 2030 into the future. That is because
the Liberals simply do not believe in the
major green energy projects that these reforms are intended to support. Members on the other side simply want to burn coal. We have a bright vision for Western
Australia's renewable future. Every Western Australian should be
reminded when they go to the polls on 8 March next year that the Liberal Party
will drag Western Australia back into the Dark Ages by burning coal, destroying
our environment and taking Western Australia backwards.
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