❓ Mr. Tallentire questions the Minister for Environment about the delay in establishing the Pilbara Strategic Conservation Fund, despite commitments from mining companies. The Minister assures commitment but emphasizes the need for robust governance.
AnsweredQoN 963Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STRATEGIC CONSERVATION FUND
963. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the Minister
for Environment:
I refer to the minister's
continued inaction on establishing the Pilbara strategic conservation fund,
even though contributions to the fund are a condition of multiple recent
ministerial approvals, and both the Environmental Protection Authority and the
mining companies —
Mr
N.W. Morton interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Forrestfield, I call you to order for the first time.
Carry on, member.
Mr
C.J. TALLENTIRE : The fund is supported by both the EPA and mining companies.
They agree on the need for the fund.
(1) Why is the
minister yet to establish this fund when millions of dollars has already been
committed and not collected from companies such as Fortescue Metals Group,
Hamersley Iron, and Iron Ore Holdings?
(2) Could this
money be used for conservation programs in the Pilbara right now, if the
minister had established the fund?
963. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the Minister
for Environment:
I refer to the minister's
continued inaction on establishing the Pilbara strategic conservation fund,
even though contributions to the fund are a condition of multiple recent
ministerial approvals, and both the Environmental Protection Authority and the
mining companies —
Mr
N.W. Morton interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Forrestfield, I call you to order for the first time.
Carry on, member.
Mr
C.J. TALLENTIRE : The fund is supported by both the EPA and mining companies.
They agree on the need for the fund.
(1) Why is the
minister yet to establish this fund when millions of dollars has already been
committed and not collected from companies such as Fortescue Metals Group,
Hamersley Iron, and Iron Ore Holdings?
(2) Could this
money be used for conservation programs in the Pilbara right now, if the
minister had established the fund?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I have had this question many times from the member for Gosnells. I think we
explored it at length in estimates, and my answer remains the same: we remain
committed to that fund.
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
Sixty million dollars; $40 million outstanding —
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Yes, that is all correct, and that fund is a condition of those ministerial
approvals. As a condition of the environmental approval of those major iron ore
projects, the proponents are required to contribute to that fund. That
condition will remain, and this government will implement it. Having said that,
this is an opportunity for a substantial investment of tens of millions of
dollars into Pilbara conservation outcomes, and it is vitally important that
the fund has the most robust governance structure around it, and that it is
targeted and delivers the maximum conservation benefit. The requirement for
those funds is locked in, but we will work to make sure that we get how we
spend the money and how we structure the fund absolutely right. Those sorts of
funds only come around once.
I have had this question many times from the member for Gosnells. I think we
explored it at length in estimates, and my answer remains the same: we remain
committed to that fund.
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
Sixty million dollars; $40 million outstanding —
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Yes, that is all correct, and that fund is a condition of those ministerial
approvals. As a condition of the environmental approval of those major iron ore
projects, the proponents are required to contribute to that fund. That
condition will remain, and this government will implement it. Having said that,
this is an opportunity for a substantial investment of tens of millions of
dollars into Pilbara conservation outcomes, and it is vitally important that
the fund has the most robust governance structure around it, and that it is
targeted and delivers the maximum conservation benefit. The requirement for
those funds is locked in, but we will work to make sure that we get how we
spend the money and how we structure the fund absolutely right. Those sorts of
funds only come around once.
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