Hon Giz Watson asks why the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) hasn't followed advice to issue new licenses and pollution monitoring upgrades for Austral Brickworks. Hon Sally Talbot responds that the DEC is finalising the review process and amended licenses will be issued after a comment period.

AnsweredQoN 139Legislative Council
Asked
10 March 2008
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

AUSTRAL BRICKWORKS — LICENCES
I refer to question without notice 797 of Thursday, 20 September 2007, regarding the Austral Brickworks licences appeal, to which the minister provided the following response — The department has advised Austral Brickworks that it must have the new monitoring methods and sites in place by 2 November 2007. The Minister for the Environment has instructed the department that either the new licences must be issued, or the existing licences must be amended to include the appeal decision on ambient monitoring, before this date. The new revised licences will include additional emission limits and targets for all Austral Brickworks sites. (1) Did the minister provided this response? (2) If yes, can the minister explain why the Department of Environment and Conservation has not followed this advice by issuing the new licences and Austral Caversham’s pollution monitoring upgrades? Hon SALLY TALBOT

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has provided an answer in the following terms — (1) Yes, the minister did provide this response. (2) As the minister advised in the response to question on notice 5645, answered on 21 February 2008, at that stage the Department of Environment and Conservation had not finalised the new licences and environmental assessment reports for the Austral brickworks site. DEC has now finalised the review process for the licences, and last month issued drafts of the amended licences to the company for a 21-day comment period, as required by section 59B of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. DEC has advised that amended licences will be issued later this month following the 21-day comment period.
(2) If yes, can the minister explain why the Department of Environment and Conservation has not followed this advice by issuing the new licences and Austral Caversham’s pollution monitoring upgrades? Hon SALLY TALBOT replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has provided an answer in the following terms — (1) Yes, the minister did provide this response. (2) As the minister advised in the response to question on notice 5645, answered on 21 February 2008, at that stage the Department of Environment and Conservation had not finalised the new licences and environmental assessment reports for the Austral brickworks site. DEC has now finalised the review process for the licences, and last month issued drafts of the amended licences to the company for a 21-day comment period, as required by section 59B of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. DEC has advised that amended licences will be issued later this month following the 21-day comment period.
Hon SALLY TALBOT replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has provided an answer in the following terms — (1) Yes, the minister did provide this response. (2) As the minister advised in the response to question on notice 5645, answered on 21 February 2008, at that stage the Department of Environment and Conservation had not finalised the new licences and environmental assessment reports for the Austral brickworks site. DEC has now finalised the review process for the licences, and last month issued drafts of the amended licences to the company for a 21-day comment period, as required by section 59B of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. DEC has advised that amended licences will be issued later this month following the 21-day comment period.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has provided an answer in the following terms — (1) Yes, the minister did provide this response. (2) As the minister advised in the response to question on notice 5645, answered on 21 February 2008, at that stage the Department of Environment and Conservation had not finalised the new licences and environmental assessment reports for the Austral brickworks site. DEC has now finalised the review process for the licences, and last month issued drafts of the amended licences to the company for a 21-day comment period, as required by section 59B of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. DEC has advised that amended licences will be issued later this month following the 21-day comment period.
(1) Yes, the minister did provide this response. (2) As the minister advised in the response to question on notice 5645, answered on 21 February 2008, at that stage the Department of Environment and Conservation had not finalised the new licences and environmental assessment reports for the Austral brickworks site. DEC has now finalised the review process for the licences, and last month issued drafts of the amended licences to the company for a 21-day comment period, as required by section 59B of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. DEC has advised that amended licences will be issued later this month following the 21-day comment period.
(2) As the minister advised in the response to question on notice 5645, answered on 21 February 2008, at that stage the Department of Environment and Conservation had not finalised the new licences and environmental assessment reports for the Austral brickworks site. DEC has now finalised the review process for the licences, and last month issued drafts of the amended licences to the company for a 21-day comment period, as required by section 59B of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. DEC has advised that amended licences will be issued later this month following the 21-day comment period.

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