Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
Your government has consistently issued statement of expectations to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) that binds them to your economic policies. These have spelled out your government’s requirement for the EPA’s decisions to put economic productivity ahead of economic of environment protections. In short, they have been directed to facilitate mega corporations exploiting the environment for profit, particularly fish farm companies.
The State of the Environment Report shows the dire results of your policy for our marine environment and coastal communities. It is not too late for you to start listening to the science. Nothing less than the survival of the Maugean skate and the handfish is on the line. Will you legislate to unshackle the EPA, make it in dependent of government?
The SPEAKER – Minister Ellis will cease his interjections. He is the first minister, I believe, to be warned in this term of parliament. That is something you should be pleased about.
Dr WOODRUFF – Premier, will you legislate to unshackle the EPA, make it independent of government directions and turn the ship around before it is too late?
Mr Jaensch – We made a statement of expectation; it is quite clear.
The SPEAKER – Thank you, Mr Jaensch, but I think the Premier can answer it without your help.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for Franklin for her question. No, we are not going to make any changes. When I recall over the last decade some significant change we have made in legislation, you mentioned marine farming and aquaculture. Some of the significant changes that we made, and I recall, I believe, as minister for primary industries ‑ I stand to be corrected ‑ but we made significant reforms in the monitoring and accountability of the salmon industry and aquaculture, including independence of the EPA.
When I first came into the role following the Labor-Greens government, there was some discussion about the regulation of salmon farms with the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment as it was then and we changed that to ensure that the growth side of the department was not conflicted with the regulation side of the department. We made the EPA independent effectively over a few iterations. I believe Mr Jaensch was part of that as well, he was environment minister, if my memory serves me correctly.
We believe that the balance is right and we will not be making any further changes when it comes to the EPA.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Dr WOODRUFF – In relation to the Premier’s refusal to make any changes, can you confirm that that has anything to do with salmon companies being major donors to the Liberal Party?
The SPEAKER – The question that the member has asked does arise out of the commentary. I will caution members that if they are going to make substantive allegations about intent, that would be outside of the Standing Order 2, which says that we should not be impugning those kinds of motives except in a substantive motion. I will ask the Premier to respond to the question, but he does not need to address whether anything indicates that his motive is in breach of Standing Order 2. The member has the capacity to do a substantive motion on that issue. I have made it complex to answer, I appreciate that.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I utterly reject the inference of the question. Frankly, I expect more of you, Dr Woodruff. The EPA has independent statutory powers under the act and the powers of the EPA in terms of independence and being arm’s length from industry have been strengthened under this Liberal government and, by extension, the parliament.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Leader of the Greens and Deputy Premier, thank you.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Accepting you were not here between 2010 and 2014, we could talk a lot about those times and what was done and what could have been done, and what was not done is what you speak of today, or even the significant independence of the EPA created under our government.
The SPEAKER – The Premier’s time for answering the question has expired.
