Mr. Graham questions the Premier's commitment to returning Gorgon gas royalties to the Pilbara region, given a prior agreement. The Premier defends the decision to allocate the funds statewide for infrastructure, highlighting existing support for the Pilbara.

AnsweredQoN 575Legislative Assembly
Asked
21 September 2004
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

I note with interest the Premier’s current and fulsome support of the arrangement that he entered into with Mark Latham, contained in the document titled “Opportunity for all Western Australians”, which will return up to $75 million of Gorgon gas royalties to Western Australia. (1) Now that the Premier obviously understands and supports the principle that we have been putting to him for the past three years that royalties should be returned to the regions that generate them, will he now immediately commit to returning that $75 million to the Pilbara each year? (2) If not, why not? Dr G.I. GALLOP

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(2) That $75 million will be used to provide infrastructure throughout Western Australia. The people of the Pilbara, like people from other parts of the State, will benefit from that infrastructure. My Government supports the Pilbara, and it does so with vigour and a great deal of energy. I point the member for Pilbara to all the initiatives that this Government has taken in Port Hedland, which is part of his electorate. I point the member for Pilbara to the Government’s initiative in setting up a Pilbara fund to assist in the provision of infrastructure in that region. I also point the member for Pilbara to the new agreement for the Gorgon development, which replaces the old agreement that local government rates did not have to be paid. That has been changed as a result of our philosophy and policy. This Government supports the Pilbara. It has supported the Pilbara, and it will continue to support the Pilbara.
(1) Now that the Premier obviously understands and supports the principle that we have been putting to him for the past three years that royalties should be returned to the regions that generate them, will he now immediately commit to returning that $75 million to the Pilbara each year? (2) If not, why not? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) That $75 million will be used to provide infrastructure throughout Western Australia. The people of the Pilbara, like people from other parts of the State, will benefit from that infrastructure. My Government supports the Pilbara, and it does so with vigour and a great deal of energy. I point the member for Pilbara to all the initiatives that this Government has taken in Port Hedland, which is part of his electorate. I point the member for Pilbara to the Government’s initiative in setting up a Pilbara fund to assist in the provision of infrastructure in that region. I also point the member for Pilbara to the new agreement for the Gorgon development, which replaces the old agreement that local government rates did not have to be paid. That has been changed as a result of our philosophy and policy. This Government supports the Pilbara. It has supported the Pilbara, and it will continue to support the Pilbara.
(2) If not, why not? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) That $75 million will be used to provide infrastructure throughout Western Australia. The people of the Pilbara, like people from other parts of the State, will benefit from that infrastructure. My Government supports the Pilbara, and it does so with vigour and a great deal of energy. I point the member for Pilbara to all the initiatives that this Government has taken in Port Hedland, which is part of his electorate. I point the member for Pilbara to the Government’s initiative in setting up a Pilbara fund to assist in the provision of infrastructure in that region. I also point the member for Pilbara to the new agreement for the Gorgon development, which replaces the old agreement that local government rates did not have to be paid. That has been changed as a result of our philosophy and policy. This Government supports the Pilbara. It has supported the Pilbara, and it will continue to support the Pilbara.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) That $75 million will be used to provide infrastructure throughout Western Australia. The people of the Pilbara, like people from other parts of the State, will benefit from that infrastructure. My Government supports the Pilbara, and it does so with vigour and a great deal of energy. I point the member for Pilbara to all the initiatives that this Government has taken in Port Hedland, which is part of his electorate. I point the member for Pilbara to the Government’s initiative in setting up a Pilbara fund to assist in the provision of infrastructure in that region. I also point the member for Pilbara to the new agreement for the Gorgon development, which replaces the old agreement that local government rates did not have to be paid. That has been changed as a result of our philosophy and policy. This Government supports the Pilbara. It has supported the Pilbara, and it will continue to support the Pilbara.
(1)-(2) That $75 million will be used to provide infrastructure throughout Western Australia. The people of the Pilbara, like people from other parts of the State, will benefit from that infrastructure. My Government supports the Pilbara, and it does so with vigour and a great deal of energy. I point the member for Pilbara to all the initiatives that this Government has taken in Port Hedland, which is part of his electorate. I point the member for Pilbara to the Government’s initiative in setting up a Pilbara fund to assist in the provision of infrastructure in that region. I also point the member for Pilbara to the new agreement for the Gorgon development, which replaces the old agreement that local government rates did not have to be paid. That has been changed as a result of our philosophy and policy. This Government supports the Pilbara. It has supported the Pilbara, and it will continue to support the Pilbara.

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