Mr. Tallentire questions the Minister for Lands about the lack of action on non-viable pastoral leases, citing Department of Agriculture and Food reports. The Minister deflects, questioning the opposition's stance and blaming the former federal government and live cattle trade issues.

AnsweredQoN 249Legislative Assembly
Asked
8 April 2014
Portfolio
Lands

QuestionView source ↗

PASTORAL LEASES — RENEWAL
249. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the
Minister for Lands:
I have a supplementary question. I refer to reports put out
by the Department of Agriculture and Food that state that in the southern
rangelands, only 15 per cent of leases—that is, 46 of 296 leases—will
be viable within the next five years, whereas in the Pilbara, 74 per cent are
non-viable leases. They will not be viable in the next five years; we cannot
make them viable in the next five years.
Mr V.A. Catania :
Who said that?
Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE :
It is in Department of Agriculture and Food reports. Why is the minister not
weeding out the non-viable pastoral leases?

AnswerView source ↗

I take it that the position the opposition is putting to me
is that, on the basis of a Department of Agriculture and Food report about
viability, we should shut down those pastoral leases. Is that the position of
the opposition?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, you are not involved in this question.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I am sure the member for Kimberley will be absolutely wrapped
to hear the position of the opposition that, on the basis of a Department of Agriculture
and Food report on the viability of the pastoral industry, those pastoral
leases should be shut down or weeded out. We should be weeding them out, in the
words of the opposition. I am sure the member for Kimberley is really impressed
with that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for North West Central, I call
you to order for the first time. Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for
the first time. Are you finished, minister?
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
No, I am not. The other issue that emerged in 2011 was the live cattle trade to
Indonesia.
Mr C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : If
one thing impacted upon the viability —
Mr C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order now for the third time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : A
question was asked of me about viability. If one thing impacted on the
viability of pastoral leases, it was the decisions that the former federal
government made on those very issues, on the back of what has been —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Maylands, I call you to
order for the first time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : On
the back of only a very short time in government, the federal coalition
government signed a free trade agreement with Japan, which has opened up a raft
of agricultural opportunities that were not even on the Labor Party's
agenda when it was in government. It is not for government to make a decision
about viability; it is our job to open up opportunities in pastoral areas, and
that is what we will set about doing.

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