❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding agricultural achievements in 2011, with the Minister highlighting government investments in infrastructure, research, and technology adoption in the agriculture sector.
AnsweredQoN 855Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AGRICULTURE ACHIEVEMENTS 2011
I was very pleased last week when the Minister for Agriculture and Food commented that WA’s grain growers were on track to deliver this year the second-largest harvest on record. Can the minister remind the house of the other events that have come to fruition to make 2011 a notable year for agriculture in Western Australia? Mr D.T. REDMAN
I was very pleased last week when the Minister for Agriculture and Food commented that WA’s grain growers were on track to deliver this year the second-largest harvest on record. Can the minister remind the house of the other events that have come to fruition to make 2011 a notable year for agriculture in Western Australia? Mr D.T. REDMAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for the question. It is appropriate in this last sitting week of the year to reflect on those notable events within agriculture over 2011. Mr B.J. Grylls : You won’t have time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for the question. It is appropriate in this last sitting week of the year to reflect on those notable events within agriculture over 2011. Mr B.J. Grylls : You won’t have time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for the question. It is appropriate in this last sitting week of the year to reflect on those notable events within agriculture over 2011. Mr B.J. Grylls : You won’t have time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr B.J. Grylls : You won’t have time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for the question. It is appropriate in this last sitting week of the year to reflect on those notable events within agriculture over 2011. Mr B.J. Grylls : You won’t have time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
I thank the member for Murray–Wellington for the question. It is appropriate in this last sitting week of the year to reflect on those notable events within agriculture over 2011. Mr B.J. Grylls : You won’t have time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr B.J. Grylls : You won’t have time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will not have time—that is right—with all the things we have done in government. Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Probably the first and most significant event was this government’s support in the budget for the new Department of Agriculture and Food headquarters. We made the decision after the last government mucked around with this issue time and time again. There is $186 million in the budget, plus $48.5 million that will be applied in 2015–16, to modernise a facility that needs to support a contemporary industry in Western Australia that makes such a huge contribution to this state’s wealth. That is a very significant decision by this government. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for a sector that absolutely deserves it. The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
The other decision we made was to support the foundation of the Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, AEGIC, which will be a hub of science and innovation, research and development around the grain sector in Western Australia. We have put a $30 million chip on the table. Already we have a total of $85 million from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and a whole heap of interest from the private sector to support Western Australia in bolting a footprint to the ground in the grains industry, considering that we are the lead state in grains in agriculture across the nation. Again, it is a significant investment to support the grain sector, which is the largest agricultural sector in Western Australia. That facility will have global significance. We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
We also opened the Katanning saleyards. It is a $17 million investment. Again, it is a decision that the last government procrastinated on. We have made the call; we have put that investment out there. The Shire of Katanning is certainly very supportive of what we have done. It is worth having a look at. I have not been there recently, but I have been told by the good member for Wagin that it is a significant facility that will no doubt be a significant milestone for not only that community but also the livestock sector in Western Australia. We have also opened the New Genes for New Environments facility at Merredin, which, combined with the planned Katanning facility, is $9 million from this government to support research and development in the grains sector to ensure that our farmers remain internationally competitive. Again, research is ongoing in those areas. It is a great investment decision by this government. With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
With the support of the Premier and the Minister for Regional Development, the Ord expansion will create an extra 15 000 hectares of agricultural land, expanding the great opportunities that exist in the East Kimberley, to be built on by other opportunities that will occur in the north over time. This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
This year will see hopefully the second-biggest harvest on record, with a 90 000-hectare crop of GM canola. In fact, 10 per cent of the canola crop is GM canola this year. We have made the decision to allow our farmers access to the technology that they need in order to be competitive. It is their choice. We support coexistence. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is because I am not going to entertain a meeting by Greenpeace. We know who does the bidding for Greenpeace in this house. The member for Collie–Preston, at the invitation of Greenpeace, goes along and makes a wonderful speech to the crowds, which could possibly fill up a small office. The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
The other big decision that happened this year, which is most notable, was the decision by the federal government to ban live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is my belief that the Western Australian government, supported by industry, led the charge to ensure that that ban was in place for only six weeks and not six months. We took the lead and supported the agricultural sector. We certainly do not want to see animal welfare outcomes compromised. We believe that we can deliver that outcome while still maintaining an important market for Western Australian beef farmers. There is no doubt that this government, through the decisions that it made on the back of 2009 and 2010, supports the agricultural sector. That can be measured by what we have put on the ground, which is huge.
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