Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank very much the honourable member for Hasluck for her question. I am pleased to advise the House that a number of major resource and energy proposals are being progressed despite the impact of the global economic recession. BHP Billiton continues with a phased expansion of its iron ore operations in the Pilbara and the Rapid Growth Project 4 all but complete. This $2.8 billion investment will enable production to expand by around 26 million tonnes per annum. Initial production is scheduled to commence in the first half of 2010, with the construction phase 90 per cent complete. This project has already generated 900 jobs. BHP’s Rapid Growth Project 5 is also underway. This project will increase production of iron ore by about 50 million tonnes per annum at a cost of $7.4 billion. Production from this project is expected to come on stream in the second half of 2011.

Woodside’s $12 billion Pluto 1 project remains on budget and on schedule and is close to 70 per cent complete. The company expects the first LNG from this project by the end of 2010. Woodside advises that the on-site workforce is expected to peak at around 4,000 workers—4,000 jobs being generated in our resources sector. The project is currently on course to deliver $6 billion in local content during the construction phase.

As members would be aware, there are a number of other gas proposals being advanced in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and in Queensland. One of those is the Gorgon LNG proposal in WA.

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