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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 538 asked in the Legislative Council on 16 August 2012 by Hon Lynn Maclaren

Parliament: 38 Session: 1

PERTH WATERFRONT PROJECT — CONTAMINATION TESTING

538. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the Minister for Planning:

I refer to the proposed Perth Waterfront development.

(1) How many test bores in total have been put down across The Esplanade?

(2) What types and levels of contamination were found?

(3) Will the minister table the test results?

(4) If no to (3), why not?

(5) How much asbestos was found and from what source?

(6) What was the cost of the removal of the asbestos and where was it taken?

(7) What other contamination testing is proposed?

Hon HELEN MORTON replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.

(1) A total of 50 sites were investigated for contamination across The Esplanade.

(2) Contaminants present at the site include metal contamination, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—for example, heavy fuel oils—and hydrocarbons around a disused existing fuel tank. The levels are generally below that which would require remediation. Those areas of the site where concentrations are more elevated are currently subject to removal. The disposal of impacted soils will be through landfill. This process is being completed under the supervision of the appointed contaminated sites auditor and the Department of Environment and Conservation.

(3) No.

(4) This is an operational document that is not required to be tabled.

(5) During extensive investigations already completed in the development area, no asbestos has been detected in soils on the Swan River foreshore. Asbestos-containing material has been identified within the existing buildings on The Esplanade and in sediments from the Swan River. Material containing traces of asbestos is being removed, handled and disposed of by qualified asbestos-removal personnel in accordance with accepted industry standards.

(6) These works are part of the $440 million budgeted for the project and approved by cabinet in 2010. The asbestos material removed from the buildings was taken to a licensed landfill facility.

(7) Ongoing contamination testing is occurring during the removal of identified contamination pockets on The Esplanade. The testing is undertaken to confirm that the site remediation achieves the site clean-up targets defined in the site management plan.

The PRESIDENT: Members, with the microphones and amplification, I request that members do not shield the microphone from their voice with sheets of paper. If you can just hold your papers to one side, that may improve the amplification to some extent.

Hon Ken Travers: Does that apply to me?

The PRESIDENT: Not in all cases, but some.