ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY —
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS — BRIEFINGS
665. Hon PETER COLLIER to
the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the release of greenhouse
gas guidelines by the Environmental Protection Authority on 7 March 2019.
(1) On what date
and at what time and did the chairman first brief the director general of the
following organisations —
(a) the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet;
(b) Treasury;
(c) the
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development;
(d) the
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions;
(e) the
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety; and
(f) the
Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation?
(2) For each of
(1)(a)–(f), in what form—for example, by telephone or email—did
the briefing take?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the Leader of the Opposition
for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
chairman of the Environmental Protection Authority gave verbal briefings on the
draft guidelines to directors general and/or representatives of the following
departments.
(a) The Department of Premier and Cabinet was briefed
at 12.45 pm on 6 March 2019 by teleconference.
(b) No briefing
was given to Treasury.
(c) The
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development was briefed at 4.30 pm
on 6 March 2019 by teleconference.
(d) The
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions was briefed at 9.15 am
on 6 March 2019 by teleconference.
(e) The
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety was briefed prior to the
release of the new greenhouse gas guidance. However, this meeting is not
diarised and the EPA chairman is not in the office today to provide greater
clarity. I will provide the Leader of the Opposition with a further response
tomorrow.
(f) The Department of Jobs, Science, Tourism and
Innovation was briefed at 12.00 pm on 5 March 2019 by teleconference.
I am advised that no written material
or copies of the draft guidelines were provided for these briefings. I am also
advised that the Environmental Protection Authority's final greenhouse
gas guidelines were not provided, as they were not finalised by the chairman
until 7 March 2019, the day of their release. The guidelines are now withdrawn
and the EPA is undertaking further consultation with all stakeholders.