❓ Dr. Jacobs asks about support for agriculture through the Royalties for Regions program. The Minister outlines specific projects and funding allocations over the past four years, including Ord expansion, water resource exploration, and barrier fence upgrades.
AnsweredQoN 702Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROYALTIES
FOR REGIONS — AGRICULTURE
702. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
Minister, as all on this side of the house appreciate,
agriculture makes a vital contribution to the rural and regional economy by
creating local jobs and supporting rural communities. With this in mind, can
the minister please outline the support the agriculture sector has received
through the state government's royalties for regions program over the
past four years?
FOR REGIONS — AGRICULTURE
702. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
Minister, as all on this side of the house appreciate,
agriculture makes a vital contribution to the rural and regional economy by
creating local jobs and supporting rural communities. With this in mind, can
the minister please outline the support the agriculture sector has received
through the state government's royalties for regions program over the
past four years?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Eyre for the question. Obviously,
coming from a regional and rural community, he is very sound in his views about
support for the agriculture sector. Indeed, everybody on this side of the house
has strong support for the agriculture sector. The question quite rightly asks:
what has the Liberal–National government done to support the
agriculture sector in Western Australia? I think it is timely, given the four
and a half years that we have been in government, that we go back over a bit of
the spending that has gone into the regional areas, because we know that if we
support —
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Member for Collie–Preston, I do not need to hear further from
you at this stage either.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I have previously cited in this place a
number of programs that indicate the Liberal–National government's
support for the agriculture sector. I want to make particular reference to the
question, which refers to those elements that have been supported through
royalties for regions. As part of the program that has been laid out in this
term of government, plus in the forward estimates, over $6.5 billion has been allocated
in regional Western Australia, and about half a billion dollars of that has
supported agriculture-related projects in the region. Spearheading that is the
Ord expansion in the East Kimberley, with $311 million for the expansion of 15 000
hectares of new land for irrigated agriculture. We know what the agriculture
potential of the north offers, and that is a significant investment in securing
a future in the East Kimberley through agriculture opportunities. Also, $6.38 million
will go towards further exploration of the opportunities around Cockatoo sands.
I have mentioned before the water resources in the West Kimberley, including
the La Grange aquifer; and, as we move down to the Canning Basin, $12.5 million
has been allocated to investigate water availability around Port Hedland,
including pastoral and agriculture diversification opportunities. As far as
Pilbara water is concerned, $2.5 million has been allocated for 10 small
projects focusing on mine dewatering. Members will be aware that recently I
turned the tap on the new Hamersley ag project, which is a fantastic project
that gives us a bit of a snapshot of the agriculture opportunities that might
well be present in the north. When we move further south into the electorate of
the North West, under the Gascoyne food bowl initiative $25 million has been
allocated for ag expansion in that area, including $7.5 million towards
providing security of water for the Gascoyne pipeline that supports the
Gascoyne agriculture areas; and also $45 million in total has been allocated to
Carnarvon flood mitigation works. I am sure that the member for North West is
very happy with the role that royalties for regions is playing in his area.
Heading into the
pastoral areas, royalties for regions has provided support for the state
barrier fence, with $10.71 million for upgrades and to fill some of the gaps in
that fence to make it dog proof and ensure that those agriculture areas that
operate on the edges of the pastoral areas are able to maintain small
livestock. In addition, $3.65 million has been allocated to employ an
additional eight doggers in those areas to reduce that dog population, and $440
000 has been allocated to rangelands reform and to heading down the path of
ensuring that we get some more flexibility into the opportunities that present
in the rangelands. Moving into the wheatbelt, $3.19 million has been allocated
to identify the opportunities and risks around carbon farming. Also, $2 million
has been allocated for harvesting and reusing stormwater for towns and ovals to
ensure that those communities can have a bit of green, which of course gives
those communities the moral boost we know some of the smaller communities in
particular need when they are going through difficult times. In the west
midlands, $600 000 has been allocated to determine water quality and quantity
in the Koojan–Gillingarra aquifer; and, in the south west, $3.8 million
has been allocated to improving water use efficiency, including $500 000 to
explore salinity reduction options in the electorate of the member for Collie–Preston.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I think he is worried, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but
I am going to formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for
Agriculture and Food, you have been on your feet for quite a while. I hope you
are going to finish shortly.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : Yes; very quickly, Mr Speaker.
At a statewide level, $2.74 million has been allocated to expand
regional men's health. That is a fantastic option that has been laid
out to support the challenges of isolation, particularly of men, in the
regions. That totals $437 million from royalties for regions alone and does not
include the support for saleyards, the new genes for new environments facility,
the recent announcement by this state government on truck washing in the
electorate of the member for Eyre, and our support for the Australian Export
Grains Innovation Centre and InterGrain Pty Ltd. The Liberal–National
government supports agriculture in regional Western Australia; we know the
support that it provides to those regional communities. The government is
really looking forward to another term in office to deliver even further on
that.
coming from a regional and rural community, he is very sound in his views about
support for the agriculture sector. Indeed, everybody on this side of the house
has strong support for the agriculture sector. The question quite rightly asks:
what has the Liberal–National government done to support the
agriculture sector in Western Australia? I think it is timely, given the four
and a half years that we have been in government, that we go back over a bit of
the spending that has gone into the regional areas, because we know that if we
support —
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Member for Collie–Preston, I do not need to hear further from
you at this stage either.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I have previously cited in this place a
number of programs that indicate the Liberal–National government's
support for the agriculture sector. I want to make particular reference to the
question, which refers to those elements that have been supported through
royalties for regions. As part of the program that has been laid out in this
term of government, plus in the forward estimates, over $6.5 billion has been allocated
in regional Western Australia, and about half a billion dollars of that has
supported agriculture-related projects in the region. Spearheading that is the
Ord expansion in the East Kimberley, with $311 million for the expansion of 15 000
hectares of new land for irrigated agriculture. We know what the agriculture
potential of the north offers, and that is a significant investment in securing
a future in the East Kimberley through agriculture opportunities. Also, $6.38 million
will go towards further exploration of the opportunities around Cockatoo sands.
I have mentioned before the water resources in the West Kimberley, including
the La Grange aquifer; and, as we move down to the Canning Basin, $12.5 million
has been allocated to investigate water availability around Port Hedland,
including pastoral and agriculture diversification opportunities. As far as
Pilbara water is concerned, $2.5 million has been allocated for 10 small
projects focusing on mine dewatering. Members will be aware that recently I
turned the tap on the new Hamersley ag project, which is a fantastic project
that gives us a bit of a snapshot of the agriculture opportunities that might
well be present in the north. When we move further south into the electorate of
the North West, under the Gascoyne food bowl initiative $25 million has been
allocated for ag expansion in that area, including $7.5 million towards
providing security of water for the Gascoyne pipeline that supports the
Gascoyne agriculture areas; and also $45 million in total has been allocated to
Carnarvon flood mitigation works. I am sure that the member for North West is
very happy with the role that royalties for regions is playing in his area.
Heading into the
pastoral areas, royalties for regions has provided support for the state
barrier fence, with $10.71 million for upgrades and to fill some of the gaps in
that fence to make it dog proof and ensure that those agriculture areas that
operate on the edges of the pastoral areas are able to maintain small
livestock. In addition, $3.65 million has been allocated to employ an
additional eight doggers in those areas to reduce that dog population, and $440
000 has been allocated to rangelands reform and to heading down the path of
ensuring that we get some more flexibility into the opportunities that present
in the rangelands. Moving into the wheatbelt, $3.19 million has been allocated
to identify the opportunities and risks around carbon farming. Also, $2 million
has been allocated for harvesting and reusing stormwater for towns and ovals to
ensure that those communities can have a bit of green, which of course gives
those communities the moral boost we know some of the smaller communities in
particular need when they are going through difficult times. In the west
midlands, $600 000 has been allocated to determine water quality and quantity
in the Koojan–Gillingarra aquifer; and, in the south west, $3.8 million
has been allocated to improving water use efficiency, including $500 000 to
explore salinity reduction options in the electorate of the member for Collie–Preston.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I think he is worried, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but
I am going to formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for
Agriculture and Food, you have been on your feet for quite a while. I hope you
are going to finish shortly.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : Yes; very quickly, Mr Speaker.
At a statewide level, $2.74 million has been allocated to expand
regional men's health. That is a fantastic option that has been laid
out to support the challenges of isolation, particularly of men, in the
regions. That totals $437 million from royalties for regions alone and does not
include the support for saleyards, the new genes for new environments facility,
the recent announcement by this state government on truck washing in the
electorate of the member for Eyre, and our support for the Australian Export
Grains Innovation Centre and InterGrain Pty Ltd. The Liberal–National
government supports agriculture in regional Western Australia; we know the
support that it provides to those regional communities. The government is
really looking forward to another term in office to deliver even further on
that.
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