MARGARET RIVER COALMINE —
IMPACT ON TOURISM
656. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the Minister for
Tourism:
(1) Can the minister confirm that on Stateline on 6 August 2010, she stated
that the Margaret River tourism industry ought to be able to co-exist with
coalmining because Broome tourism operations are happy with the proposed James
Price Point LNG hub?
(2) Can the minister advise which tourism
operators in Broome support the James Price Point LNG plant or what proportion
of Broome tourism operators hold that view?
(3) Which tourism impact report supports this
view?
(4) Will the minister table the survey
questions on which this conclusion was drawn?
(5) What is the minister's response
to the recently released study by Curtin University's sustainable
tourism centre on the impact of the LNG hub on Kimberley tourism?
(6) Is that minister aware that the Premier
estimated the value of wine and tourism in the Margaret River region to be $750
million?
(7) Will the minister commission independent
research on the impact a coalmine will have on the Margaret River region's
tourism industry?
The PRESIDENT: That is a very detailed question.
Hon
DONNA FARAGHER replied:
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1)–(4) I refer the honourable member
to the Stateline transcript of 6
August 2010. At no point in the interview on Stateline did the minister say that the Margaret River tourism
industry ought to be able to co-exist with coalmining because Broome tourism
operators are happy with the proposed James Price Point liquefied natural gas
hub.
(5) The minister personally received a copy
of the Curtin University sustainable tourism centre report on the impact of LNG
on Kimberley tourism on the evening of 8 September 2010, and it will be
considered in due course.
(6) Yes.
(7) No. In the absence of the proponent's
making clear to government its intentions, the commissioning of such research
as suggested by the honourable member would be premature.