❓ Hon J.A. Scott questions the Minister for Environment about the previous government's failure to deliver a public register of contaminated sites and seeks a timeline for its completion. The Minister's response outlines past policy documents and indicates the register's development is contingent on the implementation of a proposed contaminated sites Bill.
AnsweredQoN 777Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the minister aware that the previous Government failed to deliver on its promise to compile and provide a public register of contaminated sites in Western Australia? (2) Can the minister inform the House when a public register of contaminated sites in Western Australia will be completed and released? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) In the previous Government’s policy document of 8 December 1996 entitled “Contaminated sites” it was indicated that it would introduce legislation implementing rules and regulations for the identification, referral and classification of contaminated sites. Following that, in May 1997 the previous Government released a public position paper entitled “Assessment and management of contaminated land and groundwater in Western Australia”, which provided positions relating to the identification and regulation of contaminated sites in Western Australia. Position nine of the paper - “Access to information on contaminated sites” - stated that information on sites classified as contaminated would be publicly available via a register of confirmed contaminated sites to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP holds files for about 550 sites that have been voluntarily reported. These files will form the basis of a public database of confirmed contaminated sites, which will be developed following implementation of the proposed contaminated sites Bill. The minister intends to introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
(2) Can the minister inform the House when a public register of contaminated sites in Western Australia will be completed and released? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) In the previous Government’s policy document of 8 December 1996 entitled “Contaminated sites” it was indicated that it would introduce legislation implementing rules and regulations for the identification, referral and classification of contaminated sites. Following that, in May 1997 the previous Government released a public position paper entitled “Assessment and management of contaminated land and groundwater in Western Australia”, which provided positions relating to the identification and regulation of contaminated sites in Western Australia. Position nine of the paper - “Access to information on contaminated sites” - stated that information on sites classified as contaminated would be publicly available via a register of confirmed contaminated sites to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP holds files for about 550 sites that have been voluntarily reported. These files will form the basis of a public database of confirmed contaminated sites, which will be developed following implementation of the proposed contaminated sites Bill. The minister intends to introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) In the previous Government’s policy document of 8 December 1996 entitled “Contaminated sites” it was indicated that it would introduce legislation implementing rules and regulations for the identification, referral and classification of contaminated sites. Following that, in May 1997 the previous Government released a public position paper entitled “Assessment and management of contaminated land and groundwater in Western Australia”, which provided positions relating to the identification and regulation of contaminated sites in Western Australia. Position nine of the paper - “Access to information on contaminated sites” - stated that information on sites classified as contaminated would be publicly available via a register of confirmed contaminated sites to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP holds files for about 550 sites that have been voluntarily reported. These files will form the basis of a public database of confirmed contaminated sites, which will be developed following implementation of the proposed contaminated sites Bill. The minister intends to introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
(1)-(2) In the previous Government’s policy document of 8 December 1996 entitled “Contaminated sites” it was indicated that it would introduce legislation implementing rules and regulations for the identification, referral and classification of contaminated sites. Following that, in May 1997 the previous Government released a public position paper entitled “Assessment and management of contaminated land and groundwater in Western Australia”, which provided positions relating to the identification and regulation of contaminated sites in Western Australia. Position nine of the paper - “Access to information on contaminated sites” - stated that information on sites classified as contaminated would be publicly available via a register of confirmed contaminated sites to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP holds files for about 550 sites that have been voluntarily reported. These files will form the basis of a public database of confirmed contaminated sites, which will be developed following implementation of the proposed contaminated sites Bill. The minister intends to introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
(2) Can the minister inform the House when a public register of contaminated sites in Western Australia will be completed and released? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) In the previous Government’s policy document of 8 December 1996 entitled “Contaminated sites” it was indicated that it would introduce legislation implementing rules and regulations for the identification, referral and classification of contaminated sites. Following that, in May 1997 the previous Government released a public position paper entitled “Assessment and management of contaminated land and groundwater in Western Australia”, which provided positions relating to the identification and regulation of contaminated sites in Western Australia. Position nine of the paper - “Access to information on contaminated sites” - stated that information on sites classified as contaminated would be publicly available via a register of confirmed contaminated sites to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP holds files for about 550 sites that have been voluntarily reported. These files will form the basis of a public database of confirmed contaminated sites, which will be developed following implementation of the proposed contaminated sites Bill. The minister intends to introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) In the previous Government’s policy document of 8 December 1996 entitled “Contaminated sites” it was indicated that it would introduce legislation implementing rules and regulations for the identification, referral and classification of contaminated sites. Following that, in May 1997 the previous Government released a public position paper entitled “Assessment and management of contaminated land and groundwater in Western Australia”, which provided positions relating to the identification and regulation of contaminated sites in Western Australia. Position nine of the paper - “Access to information on contaminated sites” - stated that information on sites classified as contaminated would be publicly available via a register of confirmed contaminated sites to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP holds files for about 550 sites that have been voluntarily reported. These files will form the basis of a public database of confirmed contaminated sites, which will be developed following implementation of the proposed contaminated sites Bill. The minister intends to introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
(1)-(2) In the previous Government’s policy document of 8 December 1996 entitled “Contaminated sites” it was indicated that it would introduce legislation implementing rules and regulations for the identification, referral and classification of contaminated sites. Following that, in May 1997 the previous Government released a public position paper entitled “Assessment and management of contaminated land and groundwater in Western Australia”, which provided positions relating to the identification and regulation of contaminated sites in Western Australia. Position nine of the paper - “Access to information on contaminated sites” - stated that information on sites classified as contaminated would be publicly available via a register of confirmed contaminated sites to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP holds files for about 550 sites that have been voluntarily reported. These files will form the basis of a public database of confirmed contaminated sites, which will be developed following implementation of the proposed contaminated sites Bill. The minister intends to introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
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