Mr. Catania asks the Minister for Lands to freeze pastoral lease increases due to water deficiency challenges faced by pastoralists. The Minister responds that they lack the legislative power to freeze increases, only to transition them over three years.

AnsweredQoN 566Legislative Assembly
Asked
6 August 2019
Portfolio
Lands

QuestionView source ↗

PASTORAL LEASES —
VALUER-GENERAL
566. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Lands:
I
have a supplementary question. Given the challenges that pastoralists and
businesses in our state are facing with water deficiency, will the minister place on hold these pastoral lease
increases to assist our pastoralists and small businesses?

AnswerView source ↗

As the member for North West Central
knows, and as Hon Brendon Grylls knew when he introduced the legislation, I have
no capacity under the legislation to freeze those increases. Indeed, the former
Liberal–National government did not introduce that capacity when it
amended the act. All I have is the capacity to transition the increases over a three-year
period; I have no capacity to not pass on the lease increases. I do not have
the power to do that; however, I have the power to ensure that they are
transitioned over a three-year period. We are doing that to hopefully ensure
that the shocks are not as dramatic as they otherwise would be.

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