❓ Debate regarding the future of Geraldton Port, specifically concerning iron ore exports and the potential impact on the town. The Premier defends the government's plan to prioritize Oakajee port for iron ore exports, criticizing the previous Labor government's approach and investments.
AnsweredQoN 884Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GERALDTON PORT — EXPORT CAP
I have a supplementary question. Is the Premier acknowledging that, even after Oakajee has opened, more than 12 million tonnes per annum will still go through the Geraldton port? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I have a supplementary question. Is the Premier acknowledging that, even after Oakajee has opened, more than 12 million tonnes per annum will still go through the Geraldton port? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
That may well be the case. Mr W.J. Johnston : Yes. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: That may well be the case. Mr W.J. Johnston : Yes. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
That may well be the case. Mr W.J. Johnston : Yes. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr W.J. Johnston : Yes. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: That may well be the case. Mr W.J. Johnston : Yes. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
That may well be the case. Mr W.J. Johnston : Yes. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr W.J. Johnston : Yes. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Who is that? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
The SPEAKER : Order! Members on both sides of this place need to stop interrupting. I formally call the member for Cannington for the first time. While I am on my feet, I also note down the member for Joondalup, formally, for the second time and the member for West Swan. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Based on, presumably, the way the Labor Party wants to proceed, Geraldton would become an iron ore port. We are not about to let that happen. We will not let Geraldton become an iron ore town and the port an iron ore port. It will depend on the performance of the companies. Most of them will take their iron ore to the port and it will be unloaded into sheds and onto conveyors. Geraldton is limited because it is a town site port. There is limited space at Point Moore; the water depth, even after the member for Armadale’s $100 million spend on it, is still not sufficient. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is for their sort of trade. You’ve got to understand that; it is a differentiated market. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale basically misplaced her expenditure of $100 million. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We did not. Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : She has. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : None of this would have been possible had we not done that. The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
The SPEAKER : Order! I formally call the member for Armadale for the third time and the member for West Swan, formally, for the second time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will conclude. Mr Speaker, it is in fact your electorate where most of this is occurring. The mid-west iron ore industry will never be of the scale of the Pilbara, but it has the potential to export in the range of 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore. Under Labor’s plan, there would have been 70 million to 100 million tonnes of iron ore going through Geraldton. What would that have done to Geraldton? It would have turned it into a Port Hedland, and that is something that the Minister for Regional Development is trying to solve. There will always be some iron ore volume going through Geraldton. If it can be handled safely, without dust problems, and if the demand is there, it may exceed 12 million tonnes in the long term, but the vast majority of iron ore production from the mid-west will go through Oakajee. That is the government’s policy; the opposition clearly disagrees with it. Members opposite should go to Geraldton and walk along the lovely white sandy beaches on the waterfront—a good development that the member for Armadale had something to do with—and ask the people of Geraldton whether they want their town to be an iron ore town. Who would know more about the problems of minerals in townships than the member for Armadale, who completely messed up the situation in Esperance? That was a disgraceful, appalling performance and a failure of regulation in transport and port operations, to the extent that the port of Esperance was prosecuted and fined because of the ineptitude of the member opposite.
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