Question Without Notice No. 502 asked in the Legislative Council on 26 June 2018 by Hon Robin Scott
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
HAWTHORN RESOURCES — PINJIN PASTORAL STATION
502. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the Hawthorn Resources decision for a clearing permit dated January 2016, referred to as CPS 6634/1, affecting the Pinjin station homestead and associated infrastructure.
(1) Can the minister confirm that any noncompliance with clearing restrictions and buffer areas around watering points, households, homesteads and infrastructure under section 20(5) of the Mining Act 1978 can be deemed a breach of conditions, which may then result in a penalty being imposed or the tenement forfeited?
(2) Can the minister explain why three appeals against the issuance of the clearing permit were dismissed, taking into account that the applicant is required to comply with section 20(5) of the Mining Act?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I have different words in my question. The member said ''confirm'', but this question states ''explain''. There are also extra bits in the question. Let me give the member an answer. Hopefully, it is the right answer, but if it is not, it is because our questions are a bit different.
(1) I request that the member refer this part of the question to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum.
(2) On 29 January 2016, the then Minister for Environment dismissed appeals against the decision to grant Hawthorn Resources Ltd a clearing permit for its Anglo Saxon gold project in the Shire of Menzies. The minister found that the then Department of Mines and Petroleum appropriately assessed the environmental impacts associated with the proposed clearing and that no additional conditions should be applied to the clearing permit. As part of this decision, the then minister relied on advice from the then Department of Mines and Petroleum that clearing within 100 metres of a homestead and 400 metres of a water point is controlled under the Mining Act 1978 and that applying similar conditions to a clearing permit would be duplicative.