❓ Question regarding the Premier's actions to support WA sheep farmers following the federal government's decision to ban live sheep exports and the adequacy of compensation. The Premier defends the government's support and deflects blame to the Liberal Party.
AnsweredQoN 87Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Live export industry
87. Mr Lachlan Hunter to the Premier:
With the federal election just two days away, Western
Australian farmers have been left stunned by revelations of a leak and a grossly
inadequate federal compensation package of just $45.5 million for our sheep and
wool sectors following the Premier's federal Labor colleagues' decision to shut
down the Western Australian live sheep industry.
(1) Given the Premier's stated support for
stronger assistance, what specific actions has the Premier and his Minister for
Agriculture and Food taken to demand the federal Labor Party give greater
support to WA sheep farmers?
(2) Has the Premier specifically asked his mate
the Prime Minister to bin the live sheep ban?
87. Mr Lachlan Hunter to the Premier:
With the federal election just two days away, Western
Australian farmers have been left stunned by revelations of a leak and a grossly
inadequate federal compensation package of just $45.5 million for our sheep and
wool sectors following the Premier's federal Labor colleagues' decision to shut
down the Western Australian live sheep industry.
(1) Given the Premier's stated support for
stronger assistance, what specific actions has the Premier and his Minister for
Agriculture and Food taken to demand the federal Labor Party give greater
support to WA sheep farmers?
(2) Has the Premier specifically asked his mate
the Prime Minister to bin the live sheep ban?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question and welcome Hon Bill Marmion to the chamber.
I am aware of a draft internal
document from the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry that
has been circulated. Our government has been resolute all along, and that is to
support Western Australian farmers in our opposition to the banning of the live
sheep trade. This has been an important part of making sure that we continue to
support farmers. The member asked for measures that we have taken in relation
to this. One of the things we have done is made sure that since the law was passed,
we have provided more support for Western Australian farmers. Our efforts—not
ours alone; I am sure others were involved—has made the transition
package now include a further $32.7 million, bringing the total value of this
package to $139.7 million. We will continue—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker : Member for
Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: We will continue to work with Western
Australian farmers to make sure that they are supported in this transition. It
is a point of historical fact that the person who originally brought in the
legislation to ban the live sheep trade was the Deputy Leader of the Liberal
Party in Canberra, Hon Sussan Ley. So, if the member has a problem with these
sorts of measures, these debates catching fire in Canberra, he needs to look no
further than to his friends to his left, because they are the ones who
essentially brought this debate on in Canberra in the very first instance—a
private member's bill that they brought on. The rest, as they say, is history.
We are on record as supporting Western Australian farmers,
and we will continue to do so. Of course, the challenge for the National Party
now is for it to go on the record and support its farming community by
supporting our measures to bring the rail freight network back into public
hands. We know that the member for Central Wheatbelt wants to get more grain
trucks off the roads, and we agree with him; we think that is a reasonable
proposition. The only way we can do that is to bring the rail freight network
back into public hands. It was, lamentably, privatised by a former Liberal–National
government back in early 2000. Now it is a matter of record that that has been
repudiated by former members of the National Party, who recognise that it was a
dog of a deal—an absolute dog of a deal. We will continue to support
Western Australian farmers. We fervently hope that the National Party will too.
question and welcome Hon Bill Marmion to the chamber.
I am aware of a draft internal
document from the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry that
has been circulated. Our government has been resolute all along, and that is to
support Western Australian farmers in our opposition to the banning of the live
sheep trade. This has been an important part of making sure that we continue to
support farmers. The member asked for measures that we have taken in relation
to this. One of the things we have done is made sure that since the law was passed,
we have provided more support for Western Australian farmers. Our efforts—not
ours alone; I am sure others were involved—has made the transition
package now include a further $32.7 million, bringing the total value of this
package to $139.7 million. We will continue—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker : Member for
Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: We will continue to work with Western
Australian farmers to make sure that they are supported in this transition. It
is a point of historical fact that the person who originally brought in the
legislation to ban the live sheep trade was the Deputy Leader of the Liberal
Party in Canberra, Hon Sussan Ley. So, if the member has a problem with these
sorts of measures, these debates catching fire in Canberra, he needs to look no
further than to his friends to his left, because they are the ones who
essentially brought this debate on in Canberra in the very first instance—a
private member's bill that they brought on. The rest, as they say, is history.
We are on record as supporting Western Australian farmers,
and we will continue to do so. Of course, the challenge for the National Party
now is for it to go on the record and support its farming community by
supporting our measures to bring the rail freight network back into public
hands. We know that the member for Central Wheatbelt wants to get more grain
trucks off the roads, and we agree with him; we think that is a reasonable
proposition. The only way we can do that is to bring the rail freight network
back into public hands. It was, lamentably, privatised by a former Liberal–National
government back in early 2000. Now it is a matter of record that that has been
repudiated by former members of the National Party, who recognise that it was a
dog of a deal—an absolute dog of a deal. We will continue to support
Western Australian farmers. We fervently hope that the National Party will too.
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