HYDRAULIC FRACTURING —
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
1319. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
I
refer to the McGowan government's announcement on Tuesday, 27 November
2018, that it would approve fracking.
(1) Has any
economic analysis of fracking in Western Australia been carried out and
provided to the government in addition to the inquiry report?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), will the
government table the analysis?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Why did the
government cancel a meeting with the Australia Institute scheduled for
Thursday, 29 November 2018, and instruct government members of Parliament not
to attend?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) The
terms of reference of the scientific inquiry included undertaking an assessment
and report on the potential impacts arising from the implementation of
hydraulic fracture stimulation—fracking—on the onshore
environment of Western Australia, outside of the Perth metropolitan, Peel and
south west regions. Specifically, the inquiry was to identify environmental,
health, agriculture, heritage and community impacts associated with the process
of hydraulic fracture stimulation in Western Australia, noting that impacts may
vary in accordance with the location of the activity; to use credible
scientific and historical evidence to assess the level of risk associated with
identified impacts; to describe regulatory mechanisms that may be employed to
mitigate or minimise risks to an acceptable level, where appropriate; to
recommend a scientific approach to regulating hydraulic fracture stimulation;
and to hold community meetings in Perth, and the midwest and Kimberley regions.
(5) The meeting
that the member is referring to was a proposed briefing to caucus, not
government, and was planned for a date after the announcement of the government's
position—it therefore became redundant. Instead, the caucus was briefed
earlier by Dr Tom Hatton, PSM, FTSE, chair of the independent scientific panel.