Environment Minister in hiding over Karara

WA Greens Water Spokesperson Alison Xamon MLC has demanded to know why the Environment Minister has refused to make public his Department’s submission on a major water licence application by a mining company in the Mid-West region.

“Last week I asked the ministers for agriculture and environment to table their departments’ submissions to the Department of Water about Karara Mining Ltd’s application for 5.3 gigalitres of water year from Mingenew area,” Ms Xamon said.

“I did this because I share many in the Mingenew community’s concerns about the lack of publicly available, independent information about Karara’s application and the impacts it could have on drinking and farm water supplies, freshwater mound springs and local ecology.

“The Minister for Agriculture tabled his Department’s submission, providing useful information that confirms my concerns the Government’s handling of this application.

“However, the Environment Minister, without giving reason, has refused to table the Department of Environment and Conservation’s submission until after a decision on the application has been made.

“I demand to know how the Environment Minister justifies his refusal to make his Department’s submission public, given it surely contains information of great public interest.

“Is Mr Marmion trying to hide something?  How does he intend to explain his position to the people of Mingenew and the Mid-West who have done everything they can to participate in what has been a highly rushed and flawed decision-making process, and who have consistently requested better information from the Government relating to this licence.”

Ms Xamon said that the Minister for Agriculture apparently took his public responsibilities more seriously.  “I note that the Department of Agriculture’s submission on Karara’s water licence application highlights concerns I have already raised including:  poor public consultation and transparency in the Department of Water’s decision-making process; the fact that the licence would remove all of the Mingenew community’s access to further groundwater; Karara Mining Ltd’s failure to provide evidence about why it ruled out alternative water supplies; and the risk of drawdown from Karara’s take impacting farming and drinking water supplies,” she said.