Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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7044 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009 Answer— (1) Yes and the regulations were made flexible to allow exemptions and defences to ensure that those economic circumstances were considered at the same time as the environmental and public health issues associated with leaking petrol tanks. (2) The location of rural operators was reviewed. The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water is not able to assess the financial viability of individual businesses. (3) This was considered when the regulation was developed and a scheme to enable exemptions was implemented. The scheme allows for the deferral of an operator's obligations in keeping with individual circumstances and business capacity and the risk to public health and the environment. Commencement of the obligation to install groundwater monitoring wells has been deferred until June 2011. Operators can also apply for an exemption from compliance with these requirements for a further year with provision for renewal after 2012. Exemptions are considered based on risk, and the nature of the exemption is determined by the proximity of the site to environmentally sensitive zones. (4) No. *7338 WATER SUPPLY—Mr Craig Baumann asked the Minister for Water, and Minister for Regional Development— (1) What is the response from the Minister to a University of Technology Sydney report which found there is a "one in a million chance" that reservoir levels will fall enough to warrant use of the Tillegra Dam? (2) What "internal modelling" carried out by the NSW Government predicts rainfall will increase by 10% over the next 40 years? (3) Why have those documents not been made public? (4) Has the Government investigated the likelihood of Port Stephens residents in particular receiving water from the Tillegra Dam? (5) How is the desalination plant being funded - solely by Sydney Water ratepayers or water ratepayers across the state? Answer— (1) There have already been four independents reports confirming Hunter Water's figures are robust which take into account current storages, rainfall and projected population growth for the area. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) determination confirms that there is no cheaper alternative to water security for the Hunter than Tillegra Dam. In fact, IPART engaged its own independent consultants, SKM, to analyse Hunter water's yield estimates and water consumption forecasts. The SKM report confirms that Hunter Water's system is in need of augmentation. (2) Rainfall trends in the lower Hunter are discussed in detail in Hunter Water's H250 Plan - Securing Our Water Future. (3) The H250 Plan - Securing Our Water Future is publicly available. (4) Water from Tillegra Dam will be released down the Williams River and transferred into Grahamstown Dam via Balickera Canal. Water from Grahamstown Dam is treated and transported to reservoirs throughout the Port Stephens area. (5) The cost of the Kurnell desalination plant will be recovered from Sydney Water Corporation's customers, across Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. *7339 SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION—Mr Craig Baumann asked the Premier, and Minister for the Arts— What was the "significant assistance package to Swedish company Sandvik Mining and Construction" provided by the NSW Government to Sandvik for its business establishment in Heatherbrae, as indicated in Question Time on 25 June 2009? Answer— I am advised that the amount of assistance offered to Sandvik Mining and Construction is commercial-inconfidence. *7340 WIDENING OF NELSON BAY ROAD—Mr Craig Baumann asked the Minister for Roads— (1) Following the Government's Budget commitment of $1 million to the planning of the widening of Nelson Bay Road between Bob's Farm and Anna Bay, when is construction expected to begin? (2) Is funding available for construction to begin in 2009-10? Produced by Altsoft Xml2PDF
7045 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009 (3) If not, is funding available for construction to begin in 2010-11? Answer— I am advised: A construction timetable for the widening of Nelson Bay Road between Bobs Farm and Anna Bay has not yet been determined. The 2009-10 budget allocated $1 million to progress the design plans for the road widening. When the detailed design drawings are completed, funding for construction will be considered in future budget allocations. *7341 FISHING BUSINESSES BUY BACK—Mr Craig Baumann asked the Minister for Education and Training, and Minister for Women representing the Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Energy, Minister for Mineral Resources, Minister for State Development— (1) How many fishing businesses were bought out under the Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Parks (PSGLMP) buy out program? (2) What was the total amount spent in the buy back program? (3) How many fishing businesses in the PSGLMP were bought out under the program? (4) How many fishing businesses applied to be bought out under the program? (5) How many fishing businesses existed in the PSGLMP prior to the introduction of the program? (6) What type of entitlements has the department acquired as a result of the program? Answer— (1) 39. (2) $20.7 Million for the Port Stephens and Batemans Marine Parks Buy Out Program. (3) See (1). (4) 117 offered their fishing business to be surrendered. (5) N⁄A. NSW fishing businesses were not and are not restricted to a particular marine park. (6) None. Shares and associated entitlements were surrendered and cancelled. *7342 FUEL AT MARINAS—Mr Craig Baumann asked the Minister for Finance, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Regulatory Reform, and Minister for Ports and Waterways— (1) How is the provision of fuel at marinas in NSW regulated, in particular with regards to price? (2) What laws, if any, are in place to prohibit external fuel providers from providing fuelling to vessels from a wharf or jetty? Answer— (1) The ACCC advises retail petrol prices can vary between locations in Australia for many reasons. I refer the member to the ACCC website. (2) Legislation and regulations regarding the restriction or distribution of fuel are available at the Parliamentary Counsel's website at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au *7343 REIMBURSEMENTS FOR USE OF AMBULANCES—Mr Craig Baumann asked the Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce representing the Attorney General, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Health, Minister for the Central Coast, Vice President of the Executive Council— (1) In what other states and territories in Australia are NSW pensioners able to claim reimbursements for the use of ambulances? (2) Is the NSW Government looking at making this policy right across the country by negotiating with other states and territories? (3) If so: (a) Are more states and territories expected to come on board? (b) Which ones? Answer— I am advised: (1) to (3) All NSW residents who are holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Concession Card, and Commonwealth Seniors Card are entitled to free emergency ambulance services provided by the Ambulance Service of NSW in NSW. This includes emergency treatment not requiring transport services. Produced by Altsoft Xml2PDF
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Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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