❓ Mr. Watson questions the Premier regarding commitments to build a gas plant and the Bunbury to Albany gas pipeline. The Premier denies a firm commitment to the gas plant but affirms commitment to the pipeline.
AnsweredQoN 816Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALBANY GAS PIPELINE
816. Mr P.B. WATSON to the
Premier:
I refer to the Premier's statement on 20 January this
year that it was intended that Verve Energy would build a 30 to 40-megawatt gas
plant at Albany at some stage so that it would become a customer for the
pipeline.
(1) Will the
government honour its election commitment to build a 30 to 40-megawatt gas
plant in Albany?
(2) Is the
government's election commitment to build the Bunbury to Albany gas
pipeline now dependent upon the construction of the gas plant?
(3) What will
be the annual subsidy required to support the operation of the pipeline?
816. Mr P.B. WATSON to the
Premier:
I refer to the Premier's statement on 20 January this
year that it was intended that Verve Energy would build a 30 to 40-megawatt gas
plant at Albany at some stage so that it would become a customer for the
pipeline.
(1) Will the
government honour its election commitment to build a 30 to 40-megawatt gas
plant in Albany?
(2) Is the
government's election commitment to build the Bunbury to Albany gas
pipeline now dependent upon the construction of the gas plant?
(3) What will
be the annual subsidy required to support the operation of the pipeline?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
During the election campaign I made mention of the possible Verve plant in
Albany. We did not make an election commitment to build a —
Mr P.B. Watson : Come on!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : We did not.
Mr P.B. Watson : You made a lot of
promises down there.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I am just telling you now that you asked a question. The
Premier has a chance to answer the question. Let the Premier answer the
question.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
This government's commitment is to see the Bunbury to Albany gas
pipeline built.
Mr P.B. Watson :
You came down there on your white horse and were going to do all these things
and you have done nothing.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I asked you to please
let the Premier answer. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The commitment is to build the Bunbury to Albany hospital.
Sorry! We built the Albany Hospital; I meant the Bunbury to Albany pipeline.
That will service communities throughout the south west. It is a difficult but
important project, and that is our commitment. I certainly made reference to
the fact that once the pipeline is built, in the future, but not at the same
time, Verve may well construct a gas power plant down there. That will be
determined by the requirement —
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Indeed, the advantage of doing that will be not only the extra power
generation, but also the stabilisation of the generation and power line systems
in Albany and that region. But that is not the commitment that was made; I was
simply saying that it would be a likely future project. Undoubtedly, the
pipeline project is a difficult project. As I said yesterday, there is no big
customer, but this government's record in Albany is absolutely
sensational.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We will continue to support the people of Albany —
Mr P.B. Watson :
They don't like you down there, Premier; they don't like you.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr P.B. Watson : I
keep swinging towards you.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany! Have you finished, Premier?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
was reflecting in light of the outburst by the member for Albany that there
were more projects. Obviously, the Minister for Health is very proud of the
Albany Hospital. I can think of underground power at Middleton Beach.
Mr P.B. Watson : If
you built the Albany Hospital, we built the entertainment centre and the
justice complex.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
can think of the revamping of Albany and North Albany Senior High Schools, the
wind farm, and buildings made available for tertiary education—the list
of what the Liberal–National government has done in Albany goes on and
on.
During the election campaign I made mention of the possible Verve plant in
Albany. We did not make an election commitment to build a —
Mr P.B. Watson : Come on!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : We did not.
Mr P.B. Watson : You made a lot of
promises down there.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I am just telling you now that you asked a question. The
Premier has a chance to answer the question. Let the Premier answer the
question.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
This government's commitment is to see the Bunbury to Albany gas
pipeline built.
Mr P.B. Watson :
You came down there on your white horse and were going to do all these things
and you have done nothing.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I asked you to please
let the Premier answer. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The commitment is to build the Bunbury to Albany hospital.
Sorry! We built the Albany Hospital; I meant the Bunbury to Albany pipeline.
That will service communities throughout the south west. It is a difficult but
important project, and that is our commitment. I certainly made reference to
the fact that once the pipeline is built, in the future, but not at the same
time, Verve may well construct a gas power plant down there. That will be
determined by the requirement —
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Indeed, the advantage of doing that will be not only the extra power
generation, but also the stabilisation of the generation and power line systems
in Albany and that region. But that is not the commitment that was made; I was
simply saying that it would be a likely future project. Undoubtedly, the
pipeline project is a difficult project. As I said yesterday, there is no big
customer, but this government's record in Albany is absolutely
sensational.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We will continue to support the people of Albany —
Mr P.B. Watson :
They don't like you down there, Premier; they don't like you.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr P.B. Watson : I
keep swinging towards you.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany! Have you finished, Premier?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
was reflecting in light of the outburst by the member for Albany that there
were more projects. Obviously, the Minister for Health is very proud of the
Albany Hospital. I can think of underground power at Middleton Beach.
Mr P.B. Watson : If
you built the Albany Hospital, we built the entertainment centre and the
justice complex.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
can think of the revamping of Albany and North Albany Senior High Schools, the
wind farm, and buildings made available for tertiary education—the list
of what the Liberal–National government has done in Albany goes on and
on.
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