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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 129 asked in the Legislative Council on 24 February 2022 by Hon Wilson Tucker

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

MARTUWARRA FITZROY RIVER — EXPLORATION TENEMENTS

129. Hon WILSON TUCKER to the minister representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:

I refer to the approval of exploration tenement EL 80/5027 (Aries) in the Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment on 10 October 2017 by the Minister for Mines and Petroleum.

(1) Did the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation undertake the required investigations, including of the Argyle and Ellendale mine sites, before the approval was granted; and, if not, why not?

(2) Is the Minister for Mines and Petroleum required to adopt the precautionary principle in his decision-making; and, if not, why not?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

I thank the member for the question. The following information has been provided by the Minister for Mines and Petroleum. However, I draw the member's attention, again, to the answer provided to yesterday's question that an exploration tenement does not give any right in a mechanised way to interfere with the land. The member has to understand that that is the context of this answer.

A member interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: It reads —

(1) There is no legislative requirement for an investigation by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation prior to the grant of an exploration licence.

(2) All decisions are made in accordance with the Mining Act 1978 and Mining Regulations 1981.