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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 544 asked in the Legislative Council on 28 June 2018 by Hon Ken Baston

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC PANEL INQUIRY INTOHYDRAULIC FRACTURE STIMULATION IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA — SUBMISSIONS

544. Hon KEN BASTON to the Minister for Environment:

I refer to information contained in the WAtoday article titled, ''Radioactive water reignites concerns over fracking'' published online on Sunday, 24 June.

(1) What date were submissions to the Independent Scientific Panel Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation in Western Australia 2017 made publicly available on the fracking inquiry WA website?

(2) Is the minister confident that no unauthorised persons were able to access the submissions prior to the public release?

(3) If no to (2), how many unauthorised persons accessed the submissions before they were made public and who are they?

(4) How does the minister respond to the article's assertion that the Lock the Gate Alliance was able to access the Buru Energy submission before it became publicly available?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. It is a good question.

(1) I am advised by the independent scientific panel that all submissions were made available on the inquiry's website on 25 June 2018.

(2)–(4) I am advised by the independent scientific panel that during the process of uploading the submissions to the website for future public release, the Lock the Gate Alliance accessed the submissions through an internet search. Only information that was intended for public distribution was available on the inquiry website. I understand that the independent scientific panel will consider all matters raised in the public submissions, including Buru Energy's submission.