Question On Notice No. 2893 asked in the Legislative Council on 16 April 2020 by Hon Robin Chapple
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Tabled Paper No: 3935-
View tabled paper
Question
In reference to the Whim Creek Mine site, including discernible features such as Coorinjinna Pool, and acknowledging questions without notice 1070, 936, and 873 and their respective answers, I ask:
(a) has the initial investigation, referred to by the Hon. Minister Dawson in Question Without Notice 936; asked in the Legislative Council on 3 September 2019, been completed:
(i) if yes to (a), would the Minister please provide the findings of the investigation;
(ii) if no to (a), can the Minister advise when this is expected to be completed; and
(iii) if no to (a), have the effects of recent tropical cyclones Damien, Esther, and Ferdinand been considered in the investigation; and
(b) has any sampling or testing been conducted since the tropical storms referred to in (a)(iii):
(i) if yes to (b), could the Minister provide the relevant information; and
(ii) if no to (b), and given the history of the site, does the Department intend to conduct testing at the site:
(A) if yes to (b)(ii), when does the Department expect to have data from the testing?
(B) if no to (b)(ii), why not?
Answered on 10 June 2020
(A) The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has not completed its investigation into offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. However, following a preliminary investigation DWER issued an Environmental Protection Notice (EPN) under section 65 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 to the operators of the Whim Creek Mine to ensure that emissions and discharges are appropriately managed. [See tabled paper no ].
(i) Not applicable
(ii) DWER is not able to provide an expected completion date at this time.
(a)(iii)– (b)(B) Whilst the investigation is not complete, the EPN requires that the operator appropriately manages emissions and discharges, including those which may result from cyclones and significant rainfall events. The EPN requires the operators to undertake works and implement management and monitoring plans, including the reporting of all discharges from infrastructure on-site.
Following Cyclone Damien, the operators of Whim Creek mine site provided correspondence and photographs to DWER demonstrating that no discharge to the Balla Balla River had occurred. Cyclones Esther and Ferdinand had little impact on the area of Whim Creek. As there have been no discharges, sampling after these storms has not been undertaken by DWER.