A WA parliamentary question probes Western Power's responsibilities regarding spray use, noxious weed control, and electromagnetic radiation impacts on private agricultural land traversed by power lines. The response outlines Western Power's policies and liabilities.

AnsweredQoN 1012Legislative Assembly
Asked
12 September 2001
Member
Portfolio
Energy

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Does Western Power accept that it has a responsibility to private landowners whose properties are traversed by power lines to ensure that sprays used to control plant growth or protect poles do not have any impact on the health or quality of products from livestock or crops?
(2) What is Western Power's general policy on the use of sprays, either with or without the landowner's permission, on private agricultural properties?
(3) What liability does Western Power accept for health or product quality impacts from its use of sprays on private agricultural properties?
(4) Where Western Power vehicles enter upon private property, what procedures must be applied to ensure that seeds of noxious or declared plant species such as double gee or paterson's curse are not spread?
(5) Should a Western Power vehicle be shown beyond reasonable doubt to have caused noxious or declared plants to be introduced to a private property, what liability will the corporation accept to eradicate the plants and, if appropriate, compensate the affected landowner?
(6) What evidence exists to show that electromagnetic radiation from power lines has no adverse impacts on livestock using a paddock through which a transmission line passes?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
16 October 2001
Responded by
Minister for Energy
Response time
34 days
(2) Western Power's current policy is to use chemicals as a last resort. Western Power uses only non-residual chemicals approved for use by State and Commonwealth authorities. (3) Western Power is a responsible provider of electricity and works within the requirements of State and Commonwealth law. If it can be shown that Western Power has been negligent in its duties, liability can then be decided on the relevant facts. (4) In areas where these noxious or declared pest plant species are known Western Power adopts the relevant methods to minimise the risk of spread of these plants. This can vary from sprays to bagging down the wheels and collecting seeds for disposal by incineration. Western Power takes the Agriculture Western Australia's advice on these matters. (5) If it can be shown that Western Power has been negligent in its duties, liability can then be decided on the relevant facts. (6) Western Power is not aware of any evidence that shows adverse effects to livestock or crops from electromagnetic forces from transmission lines.
(3) Western Power is a responsible provider of electricity and works within the requirements of State and Commonwealth law. If it can be shown that Western Power has been negligent in its duties, liability can then be decided on the relevant facts. (4) In areas where these noxious or declared pest plant species are known Western Power adopts the relevant methods to minimise the risk of spread of these plants. This can vary from sprays to bagging down the wheels and collecting seeds for disposal by incineration. Western Power takes the Agriculture Western Australia's advice on these matters. (5) If it can be shown that Western Power has been negligent in its duties, liability can then be decided on the relevant facts. (6) Western Power is not aware of any evidence that shows adverse effects to livestock or crops from electromagnetic forces from transmission lines.
(4) In areas where these noxious or declared pest plant species are known Western Power adopts the relevant methods to minimise the risk of spread of these plants. This can vary from sprays to bagging down the wheels and collecting seeds for disposal by incineration. Western Power takes the Agriculture Western Australia's advice on these matters. (5) If it can be shown that Western Power has been negligent in its duties, liability can then be decided on the relevant facts. (6) Western Power is not aware of any evidence that shows adverse effects to livestock or crops from electromagnetic forces from transmission lines.
(5) If it can be shown that Western Power has been negligent in its duties, liability can then be decided on the relevant facts. (6) Western Power is not aware of any evidence that shows adverse effects to livestock or crops from electromagnetic forces from transmission lines.
(6) Western Power is not aware of any evidence that shows adverse effects to livestock or crops from electromagnetic forces from transmission lines.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more