❓ Mr McGowan questions Premier Barnett about a potential requirement for Browse gas proponents to build a domestic gas pipeline to Port Hedland. Barnett denies ever suggesting such a requirement, leading to a dispute over previous statements.
AnsweredQoN 334Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JAMES PRICE POINT — DOMESTIC GAS
RESERVATION
334. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the proponents be
required to provide a domestic gas pipeline to Port Hedland, as the Premier
said; and will it be part of their front-end engineering and design phase considerations?
RESERVATION
334. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the proponents be
required to provide a domestic gas pipeline to Port Hedland, as the Premier
said; and will it be part of their front-end engineering and design phase considerations?
AnswerView source ↗
I thought I just answered that. The
proponents will not be required to build a pipeline to Port Hedland. I have
never suggested that; the Leader of the Opposition may have misunderstood. I
have never suggested that.
Mr M. McGowan : I
just read out what you said: '' It
would require a pipeline connection to Port Hedland''.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have never, ever suggested that in any context; it has never been in my mind.
Mr
M. McGowan : Then why did you say it?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I did not say it! It was interpreted that way, but it was not
what I said and certainly not what I meant. There has never been any discussion
or any suggestion that they would be required to provide a pipeline to Port
Hedland. I know that the Leader of the Opposition probably favours the whole
Browse gas resource going into Karratha. To build a major pipeline, we are
talking about one thing; for a domestic pipeline, it is another. That is not an
obligation. There will be private proponents who will jump at the opportunity
to bring Browse gas into the main pipeline grid. Members should bear in mind
that an even larger resource of shale gas lies adjacent in the Canning Basin;
that also needs to find its way into the market —
Mr
M. McGowan : But that's not part of the fee process, so how does
that work?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, because there is not going to be an obligation on the
proponents to build a pipeline. The Leader of the Opposition may have
misinterpreted me; maybe the media misinterpreted me, but that has never been
an item in this project.
proponents will not be required to build a pipeline to Port Hedland. I have
never suggested that; the Leader of the Opposition may have misunderstood. I
have never suggested that.
Mr M. McGowan : I
just read out what you said: '' It
would require a pipeline connection to Port Hedland''.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have never, ever suggested that in any context; it has never been in my mind.
Mr
M. McGowan : Then why did you say it?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I did not say it! It was interpreted that way, but it was not
what I said and certainly not what I meant. There has never been any discussion
or any suggestion that they would be required to provide a pipeline to Port
Hedland. I know that the Leader of the Opposition probably favours the whole
Browse gas resource going into Karratha. To build a major pipeline, we are
talking about one thing; for a domestic pipeline, it is another. That is not an
obligation. There will be private proponents who will jump at the opportunity
to bring Browse gas into the main pipeline grid. Members should bear in mind
that an even larger resource of shale gas lies adjacent in the Canning Basin;
that also needs to find its way into the market —
Mr
M. McGowan : But that's not part of the fee process, so how does
that work?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, because there is not going to be an obligation on the
proponents to build a pipeline. The Leader of the Opposition may have
misinterpreted me; maybe the media misinterpreted me, but that has never been
an item in this project.
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