❓ Mr. Whitby asks about the approval of a sand mining project in Wellard. The Minister for Mines and Petroleum clarifies the approval process, placing blame on the previous Liberal government and highlighting current government's inability to overturn approvals.
AnsweredQoN 886Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SAND MINING — WELLARD
886. Mr R.R. WHITBY to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to community concerns
relating to the sand mining project on Banksia Road, Wellard. Can the minister
advise the house when this project was approved and who approved it?
886. Mr R.R. WHITBY to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to community concerns
relating to the sand mining project on Banksia Road, Wellard. Can the minister
advise the house when this project was approved and who approved it?
AnswerView source ↗
I appreciate the question. I recently
met with representatives of the City of Kwinana and some of the interested
residents around that sand mine and I make the point to you, Mr Speaker, that
this is not in the member for Baldivis's electorate. It is not even in
the member for Kwinana's electorate; it is in the member for Darling
Range's electorate. It was once upon a time in the member for Kwinana's
electorate and he opposed the project. In fact, he talked a number of times
with Hon Norman Moore about the project. On 24 November 2009, the then Minister
for Environment, Hon Donna Faragher, MLC, dismissed the appeals against the
decision not to assess that project. It received part 5 approval in November
2009 and on 14 November 2012, Hon Norman Moore, in his capacity as then
Minister for Mines and Petroleum, approved the project. In fact, the mining
proposal for the actual activity of the mine was approved in April 2016 by the
member for Churchlands. Unfortunately for the residents of that area, it is not
possible for the current government to overturn those existing approvals. It is
a well-understood fact of our legal system in Western Australia that decisions
of those former ministers stand. Even though I probably would not have approved
that project, I have no control over it.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Liberal
Party is right to interject on this point because the Liberal Party stands
condemned for this. It made this decision without any reference to the
interests of the people of the electorate. The Liberal Party was happy to
approve it when it was in a Labor electorate. Now it has the embarrassment of
it being in a Liberal electorate and is now crying crocodile tears for the
residents of Wellard. Of course, the member for Darling Range will not meet
with the representatives of the groups down there but we are getting questions
in the other house on this topic.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Point of Order
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
Under standing order 92, he has made an imputation against the member for
Darling Range for why she will not meet with members of her electorate.
The SPEAKER : No; that is not
a point of order. It is not a point of order.
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
The point of order is 92.
The SPEAKER : No; it is not a point
of order.
Questions Without Notice Resumed
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I do not
know why the member for Churchlands, who approved the mining proposal, is so
sensitive about that. Let me make it clear: this project was given approvals
entirely by the former government. My agency has no choice but to implement the
approvals given by the Liberal government. I have met personally with
representatives of the residents in that area and have told them that I am
happy to come down and speak directly to them. I will invite former ministers
from the other side to join me and explain to the residents of Wellard why they
gave approval for this project to proceed.
met with representatives of the City of Kwinana and some of the interested
residents around that sand mine and I make the point to you, Mr Speaker, that
this is not in the member for Baldivis's electorate. It is not even in
the member for Kwinana's electorate; it is in the member for Darling
Range's electorate. It was once upon a time in the member for Kwinana's
electorate and he opposed the project. In fact, he talked a number of times
with Hon Norman Moore about the project. On 24 November 2009, the then Minister
for Environment, Hon Donna Faragher, MLC, dismissed the appeals against the
decision not to assess that project. It received part 5 approval in November
2009 and on 14 November 2012, Hon Norman Moore, in his capacity as then
Minister for Mines and Petroleum, approved the project. In fact, the mining
proposal for the actual activity of the mine was approved in April 2016 by the
member for Churchlands. Unfortunately for the residents of that area, it is not
possible for the current government to overturn those existing approvals. It is
a well-understood fact of our legal system in Western Australia that decisions
of those former ministers stand. Even though I probably would not have approved
that project, I have no control over it.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Liberal
Party is right to interject on this point because the Liberal Party stands
condemned for this. It made this decision without any reference to the
interests of the people of the electorate. The Liberal Party was happy to
approve it when it was in a Labor electorate. Now it has the embarrassment of
it being in a Liberal electorate and is now crying crocodile tears for the
residents of Wellard. Of course, the member for Darling Range will not meet
with the representatives of the groups down there but we are getting questions
in the other house on this topic.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Point of Order
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
Under standing order 92, he has made an imputation against the member for
Darling Range for why she will not meet with members of her electorate.
The SPEAKER : No; that is not
a point of order. It is not a point of order.
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
The point of order is 92.
The SPEAKER : No; it is not a point
of order.
Questions Without Notice Resumed
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I do not
know why the member for Churchlands, who approved the mining proposal, is so
sensitive about that. Let me make it clear: this project was given approvals
entirely by the former government. My agency has no choice but to implement the
approvals given by the Liberal government. I have met personally with
representatives of the residents in that area and have told them that I am
happy to come down and speak directly to them. I will invite former ministers
from the other side to join me and explain to the residents of Wellard why they
gave approval for this project to proceed.
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