Mr WOOD - 2001-11-29
Madam Speaker, I know members here understand my lack of support for any gas and any gas-associated products in the middle of the harbour. But I have always been on record supporting the Phillips Petroleum LNG plant at Wickham Point, because of its requirement for deep water. I also support that a road should be put through to Wickham Point. I might show members of parliament, this is the road that is being built and this is the destruction that is being caused at the present time. Minister, is this road being bulldozed through a pristine environment to Wickham Point without some form of environmental study? If such a study has been done, would you present that study to parliament? Is it true that Phillips Petroleum told your department earlier this year that there is no requirement for this road to be constructed at the moment because of the uncertainty of gas coming to Darwin and because Phillips can do any work presently required at Wickham Point by barge? Finally, what is the estimated cost of building this road?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I am well aware of his support for the gas industry. We have had many discussions about it. Unfortunately, I will not be able to satisfy him. I will not be able to table in parliament an environmental study for the simple reason that the previous Minister Palmer inquired with the previous Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment, the member for Daly, about the need for environmental study and, on the 26 February 2001 the member for Daly said no, there was no requirement; there was no need for environmental study. So, unfortunately, there is no environmental study to be tabled.
With regards to this road, I understand there is a requirement for the road to be constructed. I also understand that Phillips expressed some concerns about the need for the construction of this road and asked the department to defer the construction of that road to a later date, because they were aware of the problems they had with LNG. Unfortunately, all the destruction that we have seen very clearly from the photograph the member for Nelson presented of the road, was conducted in June 2001.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. I am well aware of his support for the gas industry. We have had many discussions about it. Unfortunately, I will not be able to satisfy him. I will not be able to table in parliament an environmental study for the simple reason that the previous Minister Palmer inquired with the previous Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment, the member for Daly, about the need for environmental study and, on the 26 February 2001 the member for Daly said no, there was no requirement; there was no need for environmental study. So, unfortunately, there is no environmental study to be tabled.
With regards to this road, I understand there is a requirement for the road to be constructed. I also understand that Phillips expressed some concerns about the need for the construction of this road and asked the department to defer the construction of that road to a later date, because they were aware of the problems they had with LNG. Unfortunately, all the destruction that we have seen very clearly from the photograph the member for Nelson presented of the road, was conducted in June 2001.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016