WOODSIDE —
REDUNDANCIES
1163. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the minister representing the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I indicate that I have three
questions today.
I refer to the recent round of 300
redundancies executed by Woodside Energy.
(1) Was the
minister aware of these redundancies before they occurred; and will he please
outline any formal or informal negotiations
or conversations regarding these redundancies that were undertaken by the
minister and any representatives from Woodside Energy?
(2) Will the
minister please table any correspondence between the minister, his chief of
staff, the policy advisers, the Minister for Regional Development and Woodside
relating to this issue?
(3) What steps
will the minister take to ensure that the large number of highly skilled people
who have just lost their jobs are able to remain living in the regions, helping
to keep Karratha a viable functioning regional city?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the
question.
(1)–(3) I
have received an answer from the Minister for Mines and Petroleum in which he
notes that he is responsible for oil and gas only as it relates to regulatory matters.
However, in my position as Minister
Assisting the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade, I have been
advised that the government was not involved in any of the negotiations and
that the Premier's office was given advice at the same time as Woodside
staff.
Additionally, our understanding is
that the positions affected are across the entire business, not just in
Karratha. We are confident that with all the other economic activity and future
projects, Karratha will continue to be a vibrant, functioning regional city.