❓ Question regarding the WA government's support for marine science and biodiversity initiatives following the release of a science statement. The Premier responds by highlighting the government's actions and investments in these areas, including WAMSI and biodiversity research.
AnsweredQoN 900Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN
MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTION
900. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I
acknowledge in the gallery the teacher and students from Austin Cove Baptist College
in the electorate of the member for Murray–Wellington.
The Premier released the document ''A
Science Statement for Western Australia: Growing Western Australia''
earlier this year, and one of the five priority areas identified was marine
science and biodiversity. Can the Premier please update the house on what this
Liberal–National state government has done recently to support this
priority area?
MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTION
900. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I
acknowledge in the gallery the teacher and students from Austin Cove Baptist College
in the electorate of the member for Murray–Wellington.
The Premier released the document ''A
Science Statement for Western Australia: Growing Western Australia''
earlier this year, and one of the five priority areas identified was marine
science and biodiversity. Can the Premier please update the house on what this
Liberal–National state government has done recently to support this
priority area?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and I thank him for his interest in science and technology issues generally.
Yes, we did release a science statement earlier this year, which clearly
identified the areas in which the scientific effort of this state would be
concentrated, and that has been broadly endorsed throughout the university and
industrial sectors. Marine science and biodiversity are natural advantages to
Western Australia, given the state's biodiversity and the extent of
basically a 14 000-kilometre coastline that is largely unexplored. The Western Australian
Marine Science Institution was formed in 2013; I remember launching it. Indeed,
last week —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It was opened in 2013.
Mr
M. McGowan : It was launched back in 2005.
The
SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It was opened on 17 May 2013.
The government obviously supports
the institution. Last week I was in Broome and visited some of the work being
undertaken by WAMSI. Indeed, there is a lovely photo of me and Cyril the turtle
published today in the Broome Advertiser .
The Yawuru Aboriginal rangers who were working on the turtle program named the
turtle Cyril after Cyril Rioli and his Norm Smith Medal performance in the
Australian Football League grand final. I was delighted about that, because
Cyril was not particularly animated. He was in an esky and just sort of sat in
there, and when I picked him up and took him to the coast, to the beach, his
little flippers started going like that and he took off into Roebuck Bay.
Indeed, Mr Speaker, anyone wondering where Cyril is can monitor him online to
find out where he is and where he is going; and I tell members that he is about
as elusive as Maurice Rioli!
However, the second part of the
launch was the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute, which I took
part in last week at the University of Western Australia. Members of this place
who take an interest in the area know that the south west of Western Australia
is one of 35 hotspots for biodiversity in the world, and the only one in
Australia.
Mr
M.P. Murray : Have you been there?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes.
In terms of Australian biodiversity, eight of the 15 areas
identified are in Western Australia. There was a great spirit of cooperation
between the universities and government agencies such as the Department of
Parks and Wildlife and the Kings Park group. We have good infrastructure in
biodiversity. The Keiran McNamara Conservation Science Centre has terrific
infrastructure. It was great to see the sort of work that is going on in Kings
Park, which I visited also last week, and to see a little plant—not all
that impressive, I must say—that had been considered to be extinct, and
really had been for 20 years. However, after gathering some seeds and storing
them, that plant has basically been brought back to life and re-established as
a species. I think we have a good track record and an enormous opportunity both
in marine and general biodiversity.
Sometimes things happen by chance. A couple of years ago I
was in China in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and talking to the party secretary.
I just mentioned biodiversity while we were chatting and he pointed out that
China's major centre for botanical records, storage of species and
science was actually in Jiangsu province. Out of that chance encounter, I am
delighted to say that the Department of Parks and Wildlife now has a memorandum
of understanding and is working collaboratively with those Chinese botanical
scientists. We are therefore progressing on the right path in science, and
particularly in those areas.
and I thank him for his interest in science and technology issues generally.
Yes, we did release a science statement earlier this year, which clearly
identified the areas in which the scientific effort of this state would be
concentrated, and that has been broadly endorsed throughout the university and
industrial sectors. Marine science and biodiversity are natural advantages to
Western Australia, given the state's biodiversity and the extent of
basically a 14 000-kilometre coastline that is largely unexplored. The Western Australian
Marine Science Institution was formed in 2013; I remember launching it. Indeed,
last week —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It was opened in 2013.
Mr
M. McGowan : It was launched back in 2005.
The
SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It was opened on 17 May 2013.
The government obviously supports
the institution. Last week I was in Broome and visited some of the work being
undertaken by WAMSI. Indeed, there is a lovely photo of me and Cyril the turtle
published today in the Broome Advertiser .
The Yawuru Aboriginal rangers who were working on the turtle program named the
turtle Cyril after Cyril Rioli and his Norm Smith Medal performance in the
Australian Football League grand final. I was delighted about that, because
Cyril was not particularly animated. He was in an esky and just sort of sat in
there, and when I picked him up and took him to the coast, to the beach, his
little flippers started going like that and he took off into Roebuck Bay.
Indeed, Mr Speaker, anyone wondering where Cyril is can monitor him online to
find out where he is and where he is going; and I tell members that he is about
as elusive as Maurice Rioli!
However, the second part of the
launch was the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute, which I took
part in last week at the University of Western Australia. Members of this place
who take an interest in the area know that the south west of Western Australia
is one of 35 hotspots for biodiversity in the world, and the only one in
Australia.
Mr
M.P. Murray : Have you been there?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes.
In terms of Australian biodiversity, eight of the 15 areas
identified are in Western Australia. There was a great spirit of cooperation
between the universities and government agencies such as the Department of
Parks and Wildlife and the Kings Park group. We have good infrastructure in
biodiversity. The Keiran McNamara Conservation Science Centre has terrific
infrastructure. It was great to see the sort of work that is going on in Kings
Park, which I visited also last week, and to see a little plant—not all
that impressive, I must say—that had been considered to be extinct, and
really had been for 20 years. However, after gathering some seeds and storing
them, that plant has basically been brought back to life and re-established as
a species. I think we have a good track record and an enormous opportunity both
in marine and general biodiversity.
Sometimes things happen by chance. A couple of years ago I
was in China in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and talking to the party secretary.
I just mentioned biodiversity while we were chatting and he pointed out that
China's major centre for botanical records, storage of species and
science was actually in Jiangsu province. Out of that chance encounter, I am
delighted to say that the Department of Parks and Wildlife now has a memorandum
of understanding and is working collaboratively with those Chinese botanical
scientists. We are therefore progressing on the right path in science, and
particularly in those areas.
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