Henschke Industries

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome) (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Energy and Mining. Can the minister update the house or advise me with a response to my letter regarding Mr Barry Stringer at Naracoorte, which I sent on 5 October—I have had a discussion with the minister about this privately—as the Chair of the select committee into land access? With your leave, sir, I will explain a bit further what was in that letter.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: In this letter, Mr Stringer asked a few questions about the establishment of a large and unsightly mound that has been erected alongside his property and leading into his property. In the questions, I asked: is this a temporary amenities bund, which was stated by Henschke's quarries, which is alongside? If so, how long will this be in place? Was local council approval required to erect it? If local council approval was required, were all the neighbours advised? In the interim, how will the dust coming from this temporary amenities bund be managed?

I also asked: what communication has taken place between the Department for Energy and Mining and Henschke Industries regarding the erection of this mound? Further to that, according to Mr Stringer, the noise and the vibrations have been referred to the minister's department on several occasions with no improvement.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (15:17): Yes, certainly, the member will receive a response to that letter. Let me say at the moment, though, that it's my understanding that Henschke's quarries have done everything expected of them by the Department for Energy and Mining in the operation of their quarry. In fact, some of the things that the member refers to are actually things that have been done to support Mr Stringer's concerns.

I'm not suggesting for a second that he is fully satisfied with what has happened. I have been to Mr Stringer's house myself. I visited with him, have been inside his house and walked along the fence line where his property adjoins the quarry and I take his concerns extremely seriously. I will make sure that the member gets a completely appropriate response in as timely a fashion as possible.