❓ Hon Dee Margetts questions the Minister for Environment and Heritage regarding the decreasing pink colour of Pink Lake in Esperance, specifically concerning salt extraction limits and reassessments following a 1986 study. The Minister requests more time to gather information before providing an answer.
AnsweredQoN 1025Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the hydrographic survey of Pink or Spencer Lake in Esperance and drilling investigations on and adjacent to the lake undertaken in late 1984, of which the results and recommendations were published in 1986 in bulletin No 262 and technical series 4 by the then Department of Conservation and Environment. (1) Given that the tourist, environmental and heritage values of the lake have decreased as a result of the lake losing much of its pink colour, can the minister confirm that the study concluded that an annual extraction rate of 14 000 tonnes of salt was not considered significant and this limit should apply for 10 years after which it should be assessed? (2) Has the extraction limit been reassessed; and, if so, what was the outcome of the reassessment? (3) If there was a reassessment, what were the results, were the results published and, if so, what is the name of the report and is it publicly available? (4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(1) Given that the tourist, environmental and heritage values of the lake have decreased as a result of the lake losing much of its pink colour, can the minister confirm that the study concluded that an annual extraction rate of 14 000 tonnes of salt was not considered significant and this limit should apply for 10 years after which it should be assessed? (2) Has the extraction limit been reassessed; and, if so, what was the outcome of the reassessment? (3) If there was a reassessment, what were the results, were the results published and, if so, what is the name of the report and is it publicly available? (4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(2) Has the extraction limit been reassessed; and, if so, what was the outcome of the reassessment? (3) If there was a reassessment, what were the results, were the results published and, if so, what is the name of the report and is it publicly available? (4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(3) If there was a reassessment, what were the results, were the results published and, if so, what is the name of the report and is it publicly available? (4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(1) Given that the tourist, environmental and heritage values of the lake have decreased as a result of the lake losing much of its pink colour, can the minister confirm that the study concluded that an annual extraction rate of 14 000 tonnes of salt was not considered significant and this limit should apply for 10 years after which it should be assessed? (2) Has the extraction limit been reassessed; and, if so, what was the outcome of the reassessment? (3) If there was a reassessment, what were the results, were the results published and, if so, what is the name of the report and is it publicly available? (4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(2) Has the extraction limit been reassessed; and, if so, what was the outcome of the reassessment? (3) If there was a reassessment, what were the results, were the results published and, if so, what is the name of the report and is it publicly available? (4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(3) If there was a reassessment, what were the results, were the results published and, if so, what is the name of the report and is it publicly available? (4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
(4) What is the Department of Environmental Protection currently doing to identify the processes that are threatening a major tourist feature of Esperance? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
I am advised by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage that to give the Department of Environmental Protection time to obtain a copy of bulletin No 262 and to conduct a proper check of records of matters that were referred to the Environmental Protection Authority, it is suggested that the member place the question on notice. It is anticipated that an answer could then be provided within two days.
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