KWINANA OIL REFINERY —
CLOSURE
1296. Hon CHARLES SMITH to the minister representing the
Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade:
I refer to comments made by the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Energy in an article in WAtoday on 30 October
regarding BP's planned closure of the Kwinana fuel refinery.
(1) When did the state government first become aware
that BP was planning to shut down the Kwinana refinery?
(2) Did the state
government present any sort of assistance package in an effort to save the
refinery?
(3) Does the
state government concede that the closure of the Kwinana refinery will further
erode Western Australia's fuel
security as all crude oil produced locally will now have to be sent to Asia for
refining?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
I will get this checked for when we return, but I think there is a problem. I think
the crude oil that we are refining is already imported from Asia, but I will
get that clarified. The following information has been provided by the Premier
as Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade.
(1)–(3) As stated previously, I was made aware in late
June that BP intended to cease oil refining as the oil refinery was
suffering considerable losses. The company advised that no level of support
from either the state or federal government could change that decision.