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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 669 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 26 October 2021 by Mr D.A.E. Scaife

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

STATE ECONOMY — DIVERSIFICATION

669. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade:

I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to diversifying the Western Australian economy and encouraging new green industries to the state.

(1) Can the minister outline to the house how the government is supporting the establishment of Woodside's hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Kwinana?

(2) Can the minister advise the house what this project will mean for local jobs and the local economy?

Mr R.H. COOK replied:

(1)–(2) I would like to thank the member for Cockburn for the question. We thought perhaps it was important that the member for Cockburn had an opportunity to exercise his interests in the interests of his constituents on this matter because we suspect those on the other side will be a bit quieter on hydrogen this week—not quite as keen to ask about it—because it is a very important issue.

I was very pleased to be in the heart of Western Australia—of Kwinana!—with the Premier. He wanted to remind me that we were awfully close to Rockingham. I assured him we were still in Kwinana—a wind-assisted spit from Cockburn, member for Cockburn, but not quite! I was with the Premier, the Minister for Hydrogen Industry and the Minister for Lands to announce that Western Australia will host one of the world's largest hydrogen and ammonia production facilities. The project from Woodside, dubbed H2Perth, includes over $1 billion in capital expenditure and is supported by the state government through the leasing of designated project-ready industrial land in the Kwinana and Rockingham strategic areas. H2Perth has been developed to supply low-cost hydrogen to the domestic markets and has been planned in direct alignment with the initiatives of the government of Western Australia, such as the state's renewable hydrogen strategy, the complex and detailed work around turning the western trade coast into a concerted industrial hub and WA's road map for diversification, Diversify WA.

The project will support approximately 2 000 jobs during construction and over 200 jobs once the project is completed. The early stages of the project will see a retail outlet there so that people who are starting to transition early to hydrogen-fuelled vehicles will have the opportunity to take early advantage of this facility. This project is one of dozens of active and renewable energy proposals here in the state and we have committed $90 million to the sector. We are excited to work constructively with Woodside and, indeed, many of the other companies and proponents in Western Australia to build our clean green energy future for WA.

As Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade, I am constantly meeting with members of industry who assure me that what they are looking for is not big handouts but concerted policy leadership and that is what they are getting from the WA state government. They appreciate the support that they are being given. Indeed, the CEO of Woodside, Meg O'Neill, in today's The West Australian said, and I quote —

The State Government has already recognised the benefits of establishing Western Australia as a global leader in hydrogen and is working with Woodside to help make H2Perth possible.

Under the McGowan government, we will not be simply shovelling dollars out to entice companies to come here. We want them to understand the strategic importance of locating their businesses, industrial hubs and headquarters in Western Australia because Western Australia is the future of the nation's economy, particularly when it comes to energy transition. Member for Cockburn, there will be hundreds and thousands of jobs and constituents like yours will benefit from the economic leadership that the McGowan government is providing. We look forward to more projects such as H2Perth in the very near future.