Parliamentary Debates (HANSARD) FORTIETH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION 2019 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 12 March 2019 Legislative Assembly Tuesday, 12 March 2019 THE SPEAKER (Mr P.B. Watson) took the chair at 2.00 pm, acknowledged country and read prayers. HANSARD STAFF — AMANDA SIMPSON Statement by Speaker THE SPEAKER (Mr P.B. Watson) [2.02 pm]: I would just like to congratulate Ms Amanda Simpson, who has been a Hansard reporter for nearly 12 years across the Parliament. Her last day was Friday of last week. She is looking forward to enjoying some more travel now that her children have grown up, and also to returning to her original career, experiencing live reporting across the South-East Asia–Pacific region. She was wanting a quiet departure; nonetheless, it is special to recognise invaluable Hansard staff, who insist on making the words spoken in the chamber true and accurate. Members: Hear, hear! [Applause.] VISITORS — MELVILLE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Statement by Speaker THE SPEAKER (Mr P.B. Watson) [2.03 pm]: Also in the Parliament today we have members of the politics course from Melville Senior High School, in the member for Bicton’s electorate. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY — GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS — REVISED GUIDELINES Statement by Premier MR M. McGOWAN (Rockingham — Premier) [2.03 pm]: Last week, the Environmental Protection Authority released its revised guidelines on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The guidelines set out the approach and expectations of the EPA when considering greenhouse gas emissions relating to a proposal. I understand that the EPA’s announcement has caused some concerns, particularly in the LNG sector, and I would like to take this opportunity to address those concerns. As I have said on numerous occasions in the media, the EPA’s guidelines are not the government’s, and I have made it clear that we will not be endorsing these guidelines. The EPA makes recommendations, as required under the Environmental Protection Act, but it is up to the government to make decisions. The state government is not bound by the guidelines. It is the government’s role to take into account the economic and social impacts that proposals will have on our state, as well as any environmental implications. I do not believe it makes sense to disadvantage new, much lower-emission LNG projects while not applying the new guidelines to existing high-emission coal export projects in the eastern states. LNG has an important role to play as a transition fuel around the world. Exporting Western Australian LNG to places like China helps to reduce global emissions, and we want to continue to grow these markets. My number one priority is to create jobs for Western Australians. We are absolutely determined to support job-creating LNG projects like Browse and Scarborough. As a responsible government, we must ensure projects such as these are given long-term certainty. Everyone knows I am a strong supporter of these projects. We have been working constructively with industry for a long time to get them across the line. We will not adopt a policy that threatens jobs or puts WA out of step with the rest of the nation on greenhouse matters. This Thursday, I will be hosting a roundtable discussion with key LNG industry stakeholders to discuss the EPA’s announcement and to work through these issues. I have extended invitations to Chevron, Santos, Shell, Woodside, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy, and the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association. I look forward to consulting with representatives from the LNG industry to give them the certainty they need and to identify a clear way forward. Proponents also have a responsibility to identify how they plan to address emissions. I know they take this issue very seriously and are factoring it into their long-term planning. I look forward to hearing their ideas on ways to reduce emissions. As previously announced, the government is developing a climate change policy over the next 12 months. We believe that climate change is real and that the federal government has a responsibility to deliver a consistent national approach to reducing Australia’s emissions. There need to be nationally consistent policies and proper consultation with industry and the community. I share Western Australians’ frustrations that we are still without a national policy on this issue. We will continue to consult with industry and the community about what is best for Western Australia. 860 [ASSEMBLY — Tuesday, 12 March 2019] EMERGENCY SERVICES — BUSHFIRES Statement by Minister for Emergency Services MR F.M. LOGAN (Cockburn — Minister for Emergency Services) [2.06 pm]: I would like to take this opportunity to inform the house of the amazing efforts of the career, volunteer and Department of Parks and Wildlife firefighters, and the response of farmers, who have faced difficult circumstances lately. Recently, numerous bushfires occurred across the goldfields and south east coastal regions, down in the south west and closer to Perth in Bullsbrook and Edgewater. Emergency services have worked tirelessly together on the ground and in the air, and did an incredible job protecting lives and saving property. They worked in very hot conditions—over 40 degrees in some areas—and with dry thunderstorms causing unpredictable winds. I am sure that everyone in this house will join me in thanking each and every one of these people, many of whom travelled long distances across the state and put their lives on hold to help the local communities involved. Of course, it is not just those on the front line. Everyone involved in these fires was integral, whether they had a small or large role. Incidents such as these require an extensive and dedicated team, not only on site but also behind the scenes, and we must extend our gratitude to all concerned, including emergency responders’ families and the employers of our volunteers. Significant bushfire incidents require a multiagency response, and the efforts of all involved must be acknowledged. I travelled to Esperance on 2 March to thank the volunteers and agencies, both federal and state, for working together in this hour of need. A number of these bushfires occurred over the Labour Day long weekend, and I would like to thank visitors to the respective areas for their understanding and for abiding with the closure of numerous national parks and camping sites. Finally, I wish to express my thanks to the community and residents for heeding the advice of public warning alerts and implementing their bushfire survival plans or remaining vigilant to ensure their own safety during this terrible time. Being prepared and having a bushfire survival plan in place is vital. Again, thank you to everyone involved in these bushfires. ECONOMICS AND INDUSTRY STANDING COMMITTEE — FOURTH REPORT — “WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S SMASH REPAIR INDUSTRY: STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES” Government Response — Statement by Minister for Commerce MR J.R. QUIGLEY (Butler — Minister for Commerce) [2.08 pm]: I rise to inform the house that the government response to the fourth report of the Economics and Industry Standing Committee, “Western Australia’s Smash Repair Industry: Structural Challenges”, will be provided to the Parliament in due course. MINISTER FOR TOURISM — INDIA VISIT Statement by Minister for Tourism MR P. PAPALIA (Warnbro — Minister for Tourism) [2.08 pm]: I wish to inform the house that I led a mission to India last week to continue negotiations with several airlines on the establishment of direct flights between India and Perth. This was my third trip to the subcontinent since August last year, and I was joined by Team Perth representatives from Perth Airport and Tourism Western Australia, and staff of the government of Western Australia office in Mumbai. We met with Air India and low-cost carrier SpiceJet in Delhi, and Jet Airways in Mumbai. My visit was also used to develop business relationships with key stakeholders in the Indian travel trade, including MakeMy Trip, the biggest outbound travel agent in India, and the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation India. My meeting with MakeMy Trip was focused on including the Western Australian tourism product on its digital platform. Launched in 2015, MakeMy Trip offers online transactions coupled with great value prices, which is revolutionising the way Indians research and purchase travel services. This visit followed months of negotiations with Indian airlines and government representatives on the opportunity and support package presented by the Western Australian government. I was encouraged by the positive engagement from the airlines about the opportunity to include Perth as a destination in their respective route networks. Negotiations with Air India’s new chairman and managing director, Mr Ashwani Lohani, were very frank and productive, and are progressing. India is the fastest growing aviation market in the world and Western Australia is achieving visitor growth from India of 13.2 per cent on the back of very little marketing activity. The main hurdle for Western Australia is that we have not had a presence in India from a tourism perspective. Ms L. Mettam interjected. The SPEAKER: Member for Vasse, what have you got to do with India? Mr P. PAPALIA: During my visit I confirmed how other states have established footholds in the Indian market and we are lagging through lack of prior effort. Negotiations with airlines to establish new routes are complex and lengthy, and these visits are important in demonstrating the McGowan government’s — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Members, do you want the minister to start again, or just be quiet so that we can hear the end bit? [ASSEMBLY — Tuesday, 12 March 2019] 861 Mr P. PAPALIA: Negotiations with airlines to establish new routes are complex and lengthy, and these visits are important in demonstrating the McGowan government’s commitment to securing direct flights from India as a key tourism market for Western Australia.