❓ Mr. Johnston questions Premier Barnett's claim about the travel time between the Wheatstone LNG site and Onslow accommodation. Barnett defends the decision to locate accommodation away from Onslow, citing worker welfare and benefits to the town.
AnsweredQoN 748Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WHEATSTONE LNG PROJECT — ACCOMMODATION —
ONSLOW
748. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's repeated claims that Chevron
needed to be freed of its commitment to build workers' accommodation in
Onslow, due to a 45-minute drive each way from the liquefied natural gas site.
(1) Is the
Premier aware that the president of the Onslow Chamber of Commerce and Industry
stated today that this trip took only 26 minutes by bus on a recent site tour?
(2) Who is
telling the truth—the Premier or the president of the Onslow Chamber of
Commerce and Industry?
ONSLOW
748. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's repeated claims that Chevron
needed to be freed of its commitment to build workers' accommodation in
Onslow, due to a 45-minute drive each way from the liquefied natural gas site.
(1) Is the
Premier aware that the president of the Onslow Chamber of Commerce and Industry
stated today that this trip took only 26 minutes by bus on a recent site tour?
(2) Who is
telling the truth—the Premier or the president of the Onslow Chamber of
Commerce and Industry?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
do not know whether the member for Cannington has ever done the drive. I have,
several times, because it is a great project for Western Australia, and I have
been involved in every step along the way. It may be 26 minutes, but it took a
lot longer than that when I did the trip. Bear in mind that the bus must be
loaded, and if someone is running late, the bus must wait for them, both there
and back.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order now for the third time. I have
been very lenient with you, but if you want to keep shouting out, you will
leave the chamber.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is a significant journey, and buses do not fill instantly.
People can be running late.
Mr
M. McGowan : You have to get on a bus to go to the camp anyway.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I find it an extraordinary position that the Labor Party does
not have any interest in either the safety or the welfare of workers, adding
possibly 45 minutes to both ends of their day. The unions that the opposition
used to represent care about the welfare of these workers. As I said yesterday —
Mr
M.P. Murray : Why do you have double standards?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We do not have double standards. I remind the member for
Collie–Preston that the Liberal–National government invested in
the Coalfields highway. What did the previous government do for eight years? Do
not talk to me about standards and workers' safety. The previous
government did absolutely nothing for eight years.
Point of Order
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : Mr Speaker, I did ask about the Onslow project.
The
SPEAKER : Yes; right. It was 26 as against 45 minutes, Premier.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have travelled that route by bus. It is a long journey. I would not want to
work a 12-hour shift and have to get into a bus, for probably 45 minutes,
including boarding the bus, getting to the camp and getting off the bus, every
day of the shift and repeatedly over a 50-year project. It is a sensible
decision. Onslow is the beneficiary of over $250 million worth of Chevron and
state government investment. No small town in Western Australian history has
ever had an injection like that. It includes money for recreational facilities,
power supplies, water supplies and a refurbished main street. It is going on;
there is more to come. Onslow is a great beneficiary. I have had two
involvements with Onslow—one was Onslow Salt; the second was
Wheatstone. They are the best two things to happen in Onslow for 100 years.
do not know whether the member for Cannington has ever done the drive. I have,
several times, because it is a great project for Western Australia, and I have
been involved in every step along the way. It may be 26 minutes, but it took a
lot longer than that when I did the trip. Bear in mind that the bus must be
loaded, and if someone is running late, the bus must wait for them, both there
and back.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order now for the third time. I have
been very lenient with you, but if you want to keep shouting out, you will
leave the chamber.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is a significant journey, and buses do not fill instantly.
People can be running late.
Mr
M. McGowan : You have to get on a bus to go to the camp anyway.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I find it an extraordinary position that the Labor Party does
not have any interest in either the safety or the welfare of workers, adding
possibly 45 minutes to both ends of their day. The unions that the opposition
used to represent care about the welfare of these workers. As I said yesterday —
Mr
M.P. Murray : Why do you have double standards?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We do not have double standards. I remind the member for
Collie–Preston that the Liberal–National government invested in
the Coalfields highway. What did the previous government do for eight years? Do
not talk to me about standards and workers' safety. The previous
government did absolutely nothing for eight years.
Point of Order
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : Mr Speaker, I did ask about the Onslow project.
The
SPEAKER : Yes; right. It was 26 as against 45 minutes, Premier.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have travelled that route by bus. It is a long journey. I would not want to
work a 12-hour shift and have to get into a bus, for probably 45 minutes,
including boarding the bus, getting to the camp and getting off the bus, every
day of the shift and repeatedly over a 50-year project. It is a sensible
decision. Onslow is the beneficiary of over $250 million worth of Chevron and
state government investment. No small town in Western Australian history has
ever had an injection like that. It includes money for recreational facilities,
power supplies, water supplies and a refurbished main street. It is going on;
there is more to come. Onslow is a great beneficiary. I have had two
involvements with Onslow—one was Onslow Salt; the second was
Wheatstone. They are the best two things to happen in Onslow for 100 years.
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