❓ Mr. Catania questions the concessions given in the Iron Ore (Channar Joint Venture) agreement amendment, specifically regarding increasing lease rental for extending the agreement and ore blending. The Premier responds defensively, highlighting the agreement's importance to WA-China relations and accusing the opposition of undermining the state's economic future.
AnsweredQoN 594Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
IRON ORE (CHANNAR JOINT VENTURE) (HAMERSLEY RANGE)
AGREEMENT
594. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Premier:
I refer to the Iron Ore (Channar
Joint Venture) (Hamersley Range) Agreements Amendment Bill 2017.
(1) What did the state government
ask in return for the concessions given?
(2) At any point
did the state government raise increasing the special lease rental under the
Hamersley Range agreement in return for extending the agreement and allowing
ore blending?
AGREEMENT
594. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Premier:
I refer to the Iron Ore (Channar
Joint Venture) (Hamersley Range) Agreements Amendment Bill 2017.
(1) What did the state government
ask in return for the concessions given?
(2) At any point
did the state government raise increasing the special lease rental under the
Hamersley Range agreement in return for extending the agreement and allowing
ore blending?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) This
is a bizarre question—bizarre even for the National Party. We have
introduced legislation to extend the state agreement as part of the Channar
joint venture. I went to an event at Fraser's at Kings Park; the Leader
of the Opposition was there. There were representatives of Rio Tinto, as I recall,
and the Chinese company involved. Representatives of the Chinese government
were also there, as was Bob Hawke. He came to Western Australia for that event.
He was present in 1985, I think, when the initial arrangement was first mooted,
and when this state agreement act was passed by the house in 1987, he was very
pleased to have secured the first major overseas Chinese investment in recent
history, and it was in Western Australia. It was the foundation of much of our
current success. Our trade success with China was built upon that particular
agreement because it was the first Chinese investment outside of mainland China
in, I think, modern history. That agreement expires next year, and we therefore
needed to renew the agreement. The ore body itself is relatively small and
employs, from memory, a few hundred people. It is a relatively small but
symbolic project. It is very important for Western Australia's future
that we continue to have a strong relationship with China. For the member for
North West Central, I assume with the imprimatur of his colleagues, to come in
here and suggest that we should undermine that is just grossly irresponsible.
Mr
V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is grossly irresponsible. If
members read the agreement, a range of provisions are contained within it—the
member can go and research it if he likes—in relation to local industry
initiatives and the like. But it is a continuation of a longstanding
arrangement of 30 years' standing that is incredibly important to both
the Chinese government and Australia and its long-term future. I find it a bit
disturbing that we have a group of people
in this Parliament—five of them sitting there and a few of the acolytes
in the upper house—who seem to want to undermine this state and this
nation's long-term economic future. The fact that they are in an
arrangement with the Liberal Party I think reflects very badly on the
Liberal Party.
is a bizarre question—bizarre even for the National Party. We have
introduced legislation to extend the state agreement as part of the Channar
joint venture. I went to an event at Fraser's at Kings Park; the Leader
of the Opposition was there. There were representatives of Rio Tinto, as I recall,
and the Chinese company involved. Representatives of the Chinese government
were also there, as was Bob Hawke. He came to Western Australia for that event.
He was present in 1985, I think, when the initial arrangement was first mooted,
and when this state agreement act was passed by the house in 1987, he was very
pleased to have secured the first major overseas Chinese investment in recent
history, and it was in Western Australia. It was the foundation of much of our
current success. Our trade success with China was built upon that particular
agreement because it was the first Chinese investment outside of mainland China
in, I think, modern history. That agreement expires next year, and we therefore
needed to renew the agreement. The ore body itself is relatively small and
employs, from memory, a few hundred people. It is a relatively small but
symbolic project. It is very important for Western Australia's future
that we continue to have a strong relationship with China. For the member for
North West Central, I assume with the imprimatur of his colleagues, to come in
here and suggest that we should undermine that is just grossly irresponsible.
Mr
V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is grossly irresponsible. If
members read the agreement, a range of provisions are contained within it—the
member can go and research it if he likes—in relation to local industry
initiatives and the like. But it is a continuation of a longstanding
arrangement of 30 years' standing that is incredibly important to both
the Chinese government and Australia and its long-term future. I find it a bit
disturbing that we have a group of people
in this Parliament—five of them sitting there and a few of the acolytes
in the upper house—who seem to want to undermine this state and this
nation's long-term economic future. The fact that they are in an
arrangement with the Liberal Party I think reflects very badly on the
Liberal Party.
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