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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1001 asked in the Legislative Council on 17 November 2021 by Hon Neil Thomson

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

RENEWABLE ENERGY — SECTION 91 LICENCES

1001. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the Minister for Hydrogen Industry:

I refer to recent comments by the Minister for Hydrogen Industry at the budget estimates during the hearing for the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation on 21 October 2021 when it was said that exclusive section 91 licences were being issued for the purposes of renewable energy.

(1) How many section 91 licences have been issued to renewable energy companies?

(2) How many active applications for section 91 licences are being considered?

(3) For those licences issued and under consideration in parts (1) and (2) —

(a) please list the companies, the location of the section 91 licence and the area in hectares of land affected;

(b) is an Indigenous land use agreement a prerequisite to the granting of section 91 licences; and

(c) how many of the licences allow renewable energy companies to construct infrastructure including windmills and solar arrays?

(4) Will the section 91 licences referred to above exclude any other activities over the sites?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

I thank the member for the question. The following information is provided by me, in conjunction with the Minister for Lands.

(1) Four licences have been issued.

(2) Ninety active applications are being considered.

(3) (a) NW Interconnected Power Pty Ltd, Pilbara, 660 000 hectares; NW Interconnected Power Pty Ltd, Goldfields–Esperance, 1 750 000 hectares; Hydrogen Renewables Australia Pty Ltd, midwest, 120 000 hectares; and Province Resources Ltd, midwest, 10 000 hectares. The details of the proposals under consideration are commercial-in-confidence.

(b) No. The Minister for Lands will grant a section 91 licence when written consent has been obtained from the relevant native title party. An Indigenous land use agreement will be required for the grant of subsequent tenure.

(c) The granted section 91 licences have allowed for various investigatory work, which may include the temporary installation of equipment to collect wind and solar data, subject to the agreement of the native title holders and any other entity with a legal interest in the land.

(4) No, but when they are exclusive section 91 licences, no other party will be granted access for a similar purpose.