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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-05-15 Daily Xml
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NYRSTAR

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (14:51): My question is again to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Is the government going to provide additional funding to Nyrstar to compensate for the carbon tax which will cost approximately $16 million in the first two years?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:52): I am happy to answer that question because on 11 May I had the opportunity to meet with Nyrstar and its Chief Executive Officer in London. We had a broad-ranging discussion about the future of Nyrstar but at no time was there a request made by the company for compensation for the effects of the carbon price. I am sure that they appreciate your special pleading on their behalf but I prefer to listen to the interests of the company as expressed by its chief executive. I find it a much more reliable way of working out what the company is interested in rather than listening to the opposition.

The discussion centred on Nyrstar's potential introduction of smelting technology to ensure its long-term commercial viability and to achieve world's best practice in relation to its operations. Obviously, this is an important plant not only for the people of Port Pirie but, indeed, the nation. Our principal obligation is to ensure that it operates in a healthy fashion but we are also very keen to ensure the future of this plant. It makes an important contribution to the South Australian economy and, indeed, to the regional economy of the northern areas of our state.

I will be working closely together with the company; we have a working party established within government that has been operating for some time now. This was a very important meeting and represented an important milestone in the discussions. We will involve the local member, the member for Frome. I have had an opportunity to brief him about the meetings that occurred in London and it is our hope that we will be able to make successful representations on behalf of the company both to our federal colleagues about a range of issues and also, obviously, the EPA which has an important interest here that will need to be addressed. These are very important negotiations both for the health of the residents of Port Pirie but also for the future prosperity of that region and, indeed, the state.

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