Question On Notice No. 45 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 24 June 2021 by Mr R.S. Love
Question Directed to the: Minister for Climate Action
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Tabled Paper No: 412-
View tabled paper
Question
I refer to the portfolio of Climate Action, and I ask
:
(a) What are the roles and responsibilities you seek to bring to this portfolio, which would have previously been administered by other departments;
(b) Has the Minister declared any conflicts of interest with regards to the portfolio to date:
(i) If yes, please detail;
(c) Which departments are responsible for managing the Climate Action portfolio;
(d) How many full-time equivalent (FTE) are located within each department
;
(e) How many FTE are:
(i) Casual;
(ii) Full Time; and
(iii) Part Time;
(f) What is the lead department for Climate Action;
(g) Where are staff primarily located;
(h) What is the Annual Budget for the Climate Action portfolio;
(i) What websites fall under the administration of the Climate Action portfolio;
(j) With regards to the electric highway project:
(i) Will the Minister have an active role in pursuing this project; and
(ii) Has the Minister engaged the Federal Government on this project, If yes, please table documents related to this engagement which can be made public;
(k) Does the Minister plan to convene any meetings, forums or the like in relation to Climate Action:
(i) If yes, please detail;
(l) Has the Minister met with the following groups in her capacity as Minister for Climate Action and if yes, please detail the date and who she met with:
(i) Cleanstate;
(ii) Extinction Rebellion;
(iii) 350 Perth;
(iv) WA Forest Alliance;
(v) WA Farmers;
(vi) Pastoral and Graziers Association;
(vii) Chamber of Minerals and Energy;
(viii) Regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry;
(ix) Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia;
(x) Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association;
(xi) Electric Vehicle Association of WA;
(xii) RegenWA;
(xiii) State Soil and Land Conservation Commissioner; and
(xiv) Natural Resource Management groups.;
(m) Can you provide an organisational flow chart of management associated with this portfolio
:
(i) Is there a strategic plan for this portfolio. If so, please detail that plan;
(n) Does the Minister for Climate Change have a formal consultation role in any decisions of government; and
(o) Was the Minister for Climate Change consulted regarding approvals for the Scarborough Gas Field?
Answered on 4 August 2021
(a), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i)
The Climate Action portfolio supports the McGowan Government’s commitments for climate change, ensuring a timely and coordinated transition to net zero emissions by 2050 and enhanced climate resilience. The Government’s response to climate change is coordinated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER). DWER, and its predecessor agencies, has had a long-standing role coordinating the response to climate change following formation of a dedicated climate change function in the Environment portfolio by the Carpenter Government in 2007.
DWER’s head office is in Prime House, Joondalup and the Climate Change Unit works collaboratively with other Government agencies and Government trading enterprises to address climate change issues relevant to the portfolios of energy, transport, planning, primary industries, mines, jobs, tourism, health, education, environment, biodiversity, local government, emergency services, communities, water and waste.
The Climate Change Unit has eight FTE, of which six are full time and two are part time. The Unit is situated in the Strategic Policy directorate and is supported by the Director and Executive Director Strategic Policy. An additional two FTE are funded from July 2021 to administer the Carbon Innovation Grants program, announced in March 2021. Listed FTE do not include resourcing for climate-related functions of other Government agencies.
The annual budget for the Climate Action portfolio varies from year to year depending on grant-related expenditure for the Clean Energy Future Fund and Carbon Innovation Grants Program, and project costs including consultancies. This spending is spread across a range of agencies and related to a range of climate action initiatives.
The primary source of information on climate change initiatives is available at https://www.wa.gov.au/service/environment/environment-information-services/western-australian-climate-change-policy.
Noting the across-portfolio nature of climate change, additional information on specific initiatives is available from links in the Western Australian Climate Policy at
https://www.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-12/Western_Australian_Climate_Policy.pdf.
The primary source of information on electric vehicle policy is https://www.wa.gov.au/service/environment/environment-information-services/electric-vehicle-strategy.
(b)
No.
(j)
(i) The Minister for Climate Action leads the development of electric vehicle policy and therefore is overseeing the implementation of the State Electric Vehicle Strategy, including the electric vehicle fast charging network. The Minister for Energy also has a direct role in the implementation of this initiative.
(ii) On the Minister’s behalf, DWER and other Government agencies and Government trading enterprises have engaged with the Commonwealth Government regarding electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the Western Australian fast charging network.
(k)
In June 2021, I established the Ministerial Taskforce on Climate Action. The Taskforce is chaired by the Minister for Climate Action and includes the Ministers for State Development; Jobs and Trade, Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Hydrogen Industry, Mines and Petroleum; Energy, Transport; Planning, Lands; Finance; and Water.
(l)
|
Organisation
|
Meeting
|
|
(i) Cleanstate
|
No
|
|
(ii) Extinction Rebellion
|
Yes – Extinction Rebellion Grandparents only
|
|
(iii) 350 Perth
|
No
|
|
(iv) WA Forest Alliance
|
Meeting scheduled
|
|
(v) WA Farmers
|
No
|
|
(vi) Pastoral and Graziers Association
|
Yes
|
|
(vii) Chamber of Minerals and Energy
|
Yes
|
|
(viii) Regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry
|
No
|
|
(ix) Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia
|
Yes
|
|
(x) Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association
|
Yes
|
|
(xi) Electric Vehicle Association of WA,
|
No
|
|
(xii) RegenWA
|
No
|
|
(xiii) State Soil and Land Conservation Commissioner and
|
No
|
|
(xiv) Natural Resource Management groups
|
No
|
(m)
See tabled paper no. #
(n) & (o)
The Minister for Environment has powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 in relation to the direction of the Environmental Protection Authority, the referral and assessment of proposals under Part IV, and appeals.
Decisions regarding the processing of gas from the Scarborough gas field at the Pluto LNG plant were made by the former Minister for Environment, Hon Stephen Dawson MLC. In June 2021, the Minister for Environment approved Pluto LNG's new Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program, significantly reducing the project's projected carbon impact. The Minister has also requested the Environmental Protection Authority review Woodside's Ministerial Statement to reflect the revised program, ensuring strengthened compliance with the new targets.