❓ WA is negotiating with the Commonwealth regarding the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, seeking fair recognition for WA's prior efforts, relevant strategies, a supported regional delivery approach, and inclusion of the Swan River catchment.
AnsweredQoN 416Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Will the minister detail the specific issues within the national action plan for salinity and water quality, which the State Government is negotiating on behalf of the people of Western Australia who are affected by salinity, that have stopped this State from accepting its share of the $1.4 billion federal funding package? (2) How long will it take to sign the deal offered by the federal Government; and after signing the deal, how long will it be before the money is accessible to the people fighting salinity? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
(2) How long will it take to sign the deal offered by the federal Government; and after signing the deal, how long will it be before the money is accessible to the people fighting salinity? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
(1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
(2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
(2) How long will it take to sign the deal offered by the federal Government; and after signing the deal, how long will it be before the money is accessible to the people fighting salinity? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
(1) The State Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government to achieve the best long-term outcome for the rural communities of Western Australia given their specific needs and situations. In particular, this Government is concerned that there should be fair recognition for the ongoing commitment that Western Australia has given to addressing salinity for many years now over and above what other States have done. The Government is also concerned that strategies proposed for Western Australia are relevant to WA conditions. The other main areas of concern for this Government are that the current approach to regional delivery that the Commonwealth is insisting on is not supported by either the State Government or regional bodies, and that the Commonwealth has excluded the Swan River catchment in its priority listing. (2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
(2) This Government is committed to a national approach to tackling salinity and deteriorating water quality that is based on the application of a community-based approach in Western Australia. The State Government will work with the federal Government to ensure that the funding from the national action plan for salinity and water quality is accessible to the rural communities as soon as possible. Negotiations between the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr Edwards, and Senator Hill are under way to resolve the outstanding issues.
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