Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 2834 asked in the Legislative Council on 10 March 2020 by Hon Robin Chapple

Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Tabled Paper No: 3804- View tabled paper


Question

I refer to the 1999 West Australian Government Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development funded report entitled: “An assessment of the impact of Ophthalmia Dam on the floodplains of the Fortescue River on Ethel Creek and Roy Hill Stations”, wherein:

“This survey confirmed that there is widespread decline and death of trees and that the effect is recent. The evidence from this survey strongly suggests that the major cause of tree stress and death is a lack of regular flooding in recent years, largely as a result of the Ophthalmia Dam. On Ethel Creek station the area of the Fortescue River floodplain already affected, is about 400 sq km. On Roy Hill station the area of the Fortescue River floodplain affected, is about 177 sq km”,

and I ask:

(a) has work been undertaken by the Minister's department, since the time of this report to monitor the health of the rangelands and coolabah woodlands along the Fortescue floodplain, between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh;
(b) if yes to (a), can the Minister please table all relevant reports looking into this issue;
(c) does the Government have a plan to arrest the deterioration of the rangelands and coolabah woodlands, along the Fortescue floodplain, between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh:
(i) if yes to (c), can the Minister please table that plan; and
(ii) if yes to (c), what funds have been allocated to arrest the deterioration of those rangelands and coolabah woodlands;
(d) what are the implications of the deterioration of the rangelands and coolabah woodlands along the Fortescue floodplain between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh for:
(i) local pastoralists; and
(ii) the natural environment;
(e) has industry been called upon to contribute funds to the remediation of the deterioration of the rangelands and coolabah woodlands along the Fortescue floodplain between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh;
(f) if yes to (e), would the Minister please provide information, in relation to (e), regarding:
(i) around what date were industry proponents contacted;
(ii) which businesses were contacted, and who acted as a representative of the business;
(iii) what amounts were requested by the Department to this effect; and
(iv) what amounts did the Department receive; and
(g) is it possible to repatriate damage to the deterioration of the rangelands and coolabah woodlands, along the Fortescue floodplain, between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh, brought about by the construction of the Ophthalmia Dam?
Answered on 15 April 2020

(a-b) I note the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development report identified in the question is over 21 years old. I am advised by my Department that it examines a range of impacts on the vegetation, including dam construction, soil erosion, grazing regime and climate change. The relative contribution of these impacts is likely to have varied significantly since the report was published.

In the intervening years, the Environmental Protection Authority, provided two pieces of strategic advice to the previous government (under section 16e of the Environmental Protection Act 1986) that addressed 1) environmental issues relating to mining activities in the Fortescue March management area (Environmental and water assessments relating to mining and mining-related activities in the Fortescue Marsh management area – EPA 2013), and 2) the issues of biodiversity conservation and rehabilitation in the Pilbara region more generally (Cumulative Environmental Impacts of Development in the Pilbara Region – EPA 2014). See tabled papers [No. #].

I am advised that my Departments do not, however, have any specific reports that monitor the health of the rangelands and coolabah woodlands along the Fortescue floodplain between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh. The Minister for Lands and the Minister for Agriculture and Food may have access to further information to inform your request.

(c-g) The McGowan Government is developing four initiatives to improve the consistency, transparency and quality of information which will enable better management of our State’s native vegetation. Specifically, these initiatives aim to 1) deliver a State native vegetation policy; 2) facilitate investment into better native vegetation information, including monitoring and mapping; 3) improve regulatory process; and 4) explore a bioregional approach to managing native vegetation management. Pastoralists and environmental groups have recently participated in the development of these initiatives through a public consultation period.

Industry has not been required to contribute funds to the remediation of the deterioration of the rangelands and coolabah woodlands along the Fortescue floodplain between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh directly. However, the Pilbara Environmental Offsets Fund (PEOF) has been established to enable government to combine industry offset money and partner with regional land management organisations to deliver projects that achieve better and more connected biodiversity conservation outcomes.

In the vicinity of Ophthamia Dam, Ministerial Statement 1037, Eastern Ridge Iron Ore Revised Proposal issued 21 September 2016, and Ministerial Statement 1021, Orebody 31 Iron Ore Mine issued 12 November 2015, require BHP Billiton Iron Ore to contribute to the PEOF for clearing vegetation within the Hamersley and Fortescue Interim Biogeographical Regionalisation for Australia subregions, respectively. To date $478,504 has been invoiced.

While I am advised that my Departments currently have no targeted plan to manage the rangelands and coolabah woodlands along the Fortescue floodplain between the Ophthalmia Dam and Fortescue Marsh, both the native vegetation initiatives and the PEOF will contribute to better monitoring and management of native vegetation in the Pilbara into the future.

As above, the Minister for Lands and the Minister for Agriculture and Food may have access to further specific information to inform your request.