❓ Mr Nalder questions the Premier's commitment to the Albany wave energy project after Carnegie Clean Energy's failure. The Premier defends the decision to reallocate funds to cancer treatment in Albany, highlighting the project's broad initial support and Carnegie's inability to deliver.
AnsweredQoN 106Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALBANY WAVE ENERGY PROJECT — CARNEGIE CLEAN
ENERGY — FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
106. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
As a supplementary question, can the
Premier confirm that he is still committed to a wave farm in Albany and will he
go back out to tender for a new proponent or is he completely abandoning this
election promise?
ENERGY — FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
106. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
As a supplementary question, can the
Premier confirm that he is still committed to a wave farm in Albany and will he
go back out to tender for a new proponent or is he completely abandoning this
election promise?
AnswerView source ↗
Obviously, the Labor Party went to
the election with a plan for a wave energy facility in Albany. We thought it was a good proposition. Indeed, it was supported
by other political parties, which had similar positions in the lead-up to the state election. We went through an open tender process. A company that
had a track record in this area in Western Australia was selected. Unfortunately,
over the last eight months or year or so, it has become apparent that
financially it is unable to deliver the project that it committed to. An
analysis that was done over the last couple of months in particular found that
it was unable to deliver, so we have accepted that analysis and we have
committed the remaining $13 million plus for that project towards cancer
treatment for people in Albany.
Mr D.C. Nalder : How many
jobs?
The SPEAKER : Do you think
that is funny?
Mr M. McGOWAN : I think that
is a good outcome for the people of Albany. The Minister for Health went to
Albany this morning to announce the proposal and he advises me that the people
of Albany are thrilled that, under Labor, they will get the best cancer
treatment available in the regions anywhere in Australia. That is what we have
done. It is obviously sad and disappointing. Carnegie has had a big reputation
both in Australia and overseas.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have seen
numerous photographs of federal Liberal, National and Labor members of
Parliament with Carnegie, talking it up, and I can deliver them to members in
here if they like. We followed an open
tender process for a company with a proven track record. The Minister for
Energy advises me that John Howard has supported this company before.
That is the situation. Obviously, it is disappointing.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I will not warn you again.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The intellectual
property and the research that has been done will be used by the University of Western Australia in its wave energy research project in Albany, so that is a good
ongoing contribution to wave energy and to Albany. The great news—the
silver lining out of this—of course is that the people of Albany will
get a first-rate cancer treatment centre because this government has allocated
that money for that purpose.
the election with a plan for a wave energy facility in Albany. We thought it was a good proposition. Indeed, it was supported
by other political parties, which had similar positions in the lead-up to the state election. We went through an open tender process. A company that
had a track record in this area in Western Australia was selected. Unfortunately,
over the last eight months or year or so, it has become apparent that
financially it is unable to deliver the project that it committed to. An
analysis that was done over the last couple of months in particular found that
it was unable to deliver, so we have accepted that analysis and we have
committed the remaining $13 million plus for that project towards cancer
treatment for people in Albany.
Mr D.C. Nalder : How many
jobs?
The SPEAKER : Do you think
that is funny?
Mr M. McGOWAN : I think that
is a good outcome for the people of Albany. The Minister for Health went to
Albany this morning to announce the proposal and he advises me that the people
of Albany are thrilled that, under Labor, they will get the best cancer
treatment available in the regions anywhere in Australia. That is what we have
done. It is obviously sad and disappointing. Carnegie has had a big reputation
both in Australia and overseas.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have seen
numerous photographs of federal Liberal, National and Labor members of
Parliament with Carnegie, talking it up, and I can deliver them to members in
here if they like. We followed an open
tender process for a company with a proven track record. The Minister for
Energy advises me that John Howard has supported this company before.
That is the situation. Obviously, it is disappointing.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I will not warn you again.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The intellectual
property and the research that has been done will be used by the University of Western Australia in its wave energy research project in Albany, so that is a good
ongoing contribution to wave energy and to Albany. The great news—the
silver lining out of this—of course is that the people of Albany will
get a first-rate cancer treatment centre because this government has allocated
that money for that purpose.
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