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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-09-09 Daily Xml
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Kangaroo Island Wharf Facility

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:59): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question to the Treasurer, representing the planning minister, the Hon. Vickie Chapman, about the decision to reject the Smith Bay wharf project on Kangaroo Island.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: In May this year, myself and the Hon. Russell Wortley called on the minister to recuse herself from making the pending decision on the wharf development, over legitimate concerns she had conflicts of interest, along with her close friendship with the mayor and former political ally, Mr Pengilly, a vociferous opponent of the project, who also had a conflict because his property is near the development site and heavy traffic to and from the wharf would have passed his place.

He still flatly denies this, despite being present and chairing a crucial council meeting in December last year in which Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers submitted an addendum to their EIS and briefed the council on its contents, including the proposed road traffic network. It clearly shows it would pass by Mr Pengilly's property on North Coast Road, Wisanger. I am reliably informed by some attendees that at no time during this meeting did Mr Pengilly declare he might have had a conflict, nor did he offer to absent himself from the discussions.

On 26 May this year, the minister delivered a three-page statement rebuking my concerns, while denying she had any conflicts or any interest in any property that might have been impacted by the project. She concluded her remarks by stating: 'If it stacks up, it will be approved. If it doesn't, it won't.' It did stack up. The State Planning Commission approved it with manageable conditions, as did another government commissioned report that the minister had no idea existed. Yet, the minister rejected it on spurious and unsubstantiated grounds—

The PRESIDENT: I hope the member is coming close to his question.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Nearly finished—not the expert advice she told the parliament she was expecting. My questions to the minister are:

1. At the time of making her decision, did the Attorney-General and planning minister have three titles in her name at Western River?

2. Did she hold four other titles as executor of her late brother's estate—with two being transferred to her sisters on 5 August 2021, four days before she killed off the project—that are situated within 10 kilometres of five KIPT plantations?

3. Why didn't she declare these interests at the time and when questioned about them in parliament?

4. Why did she reject the project after categorically stating in parliament that it would be approved if it stacked up?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:03): I will refer the honourable member's questions to the minister and bring back a reply.

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