WASTE-TO-ENERGY
PLANT — KWINANA
38. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for State Development,
Jobs and Trade:
I
refer to the McGowan government's border backflip on 20 January and the
media reports today that a $700 million waste-to-energy project in
Kwinana is now at risk due the state's border chaos and confusion.
(1) How many more
examples of businesses, big and small, leaving our state, postponing or cancelling
major projects are required before the minister shows leadership and states a firm
date to reopen?
(2) How many of
the promised 350 jobs for this project that the minister announced by media
releases in December 2019 are now at risk because of the ongoing border
uncertainty?
Mr R.H. COOK replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2)
It is a good example to all members assembled to never believe the premise of
an opposition question. Opposition members simply come into this place and make
assertions that are untrue or untested and they simply extend that to match
whatever political rhetoric they want to spin on the day. As the member is
aware, there is a legal dispute with the Spanish-based technology company that
is providing the burners, for want of a better description, at the
waste-to-energy plant that is currently being built in the Kwinana industrial
area. That dispute has been ongoing for some months and the project has met a range
of challenges, which has led to the inevitable outcome of the companies having
to test their legal positions in relation to each other in court. That dispute
has been going on for some time—long before the decision that was taken
and communicated on 20 January.
I suggest that opposition members
do not embroil themselves in the legal arguments in a dispute between two companies.
The opposition should simply maintain the priorities that the McGowan
government and the people of Western Australia have always held central; that
is, if we are to ride out this COVID-19 pandemic, we want to protect lives and
the economy. That is the basis upon which all decisions have been made. As the
Leader of the Liberal Party just heard the Premier say, we have an unemployment
rate of 3.7 per cent and some industries are going better now than they ever
have, but we want to transition beyond the current situation. That is the work
that the Premier and the Minister for Health are undertaking today in an
ongoing manner, and they are doing a really good job.