State Government ‘investment’ in failed Burrup Fertilisers must be investigated

Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Hon. Robin Chapple MLC has called on the State Government to take immediate action to recoup taxpayer funds from the failed Pilbara business Burrup Fertilisers.

Pankaj Oswal and his wife Radhika Oswal are majority shareholders in Burrup Fertilisers, with the remainder being owned by a Norwegian company.

“The State has contributed $140 million in taxpayer funds by way of infrastructure and some direct funding to Burrup Fertilisers,” Mr Chapple said.

“I want to know why the WA Government has not carried out due diligence over its investment - our investment - in the project."

“Quite clearly the development would not have got up had the West Australian Government not provided the infrastructure needed by Burrup Fertilisers to progress its enterprise."

“If the project is sold or collapses then the State should make every effort to get its infrastructure investment returned from either the receiver or the billionaire tycoons Pankaj and Radhika Oswal,” Mr Chapple said.

The Oswals are in the process of constructing a $70 million mansion in Mosman Park.

“One wonders if they would have had the funds to build this extravaganza if the WA Government had not coughed up the $140 million subsidy to facilitate their business enterprise in the first place,” Mr Chapple said.

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255

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