❓ A parliamentary question addresses the potential impact of drought on rural WA and seeks assurance regarding new fees related to biosecurity legislation. The Acting Premier acknowledges concerns but avoids specific commitments, stating existing programs will apply if needed and that biosecurity legislation is still in early stages.
AnsweredQoN 410Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DROUGHT - IMPACT ON RURAL WESTERN AUSTRALIANS
(1) Noting that the winter rainfall in most of the agricultural regions of WA is well below normal, can the Acting Premier please advise the Parliament what contingency plans or initiatives have been put in place to minimise the financial and social impact on rural Western Australians from what is shaping up to be the worst drought in WA’s history? (2) Will the state government give an undertaking to quarantine any current and/or new fees, levies or charges that could emanate from the proposed new biosecurity and agricultural management legislation due to be introduced into Parliament this year? Mr E.S. RIPPER
(1) Noting that the winter rainfall in most of the agricultural regions of WA is well below normal, can the Acting Premier please advise the Parliament what contingency plans or initiatives have been put in place to minimise the financial and social impact on rural Western Australians from what is shaping up to be the worst drought in WA’s history? (2) Will the state government give an undertaking to quarantine any current and/or new fees, levies or charges that could emanate from the proposed new biosecurity and agricultural management legislation due to be introduced into Parliament this year? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
(1) It is always very worrying to be so far into winter without there having been adequate rainfall. I can remember controversies arising and anxieties occurring if there had been no rain by the middle of May, yet we have almost reached the end of June without having had adequate rainfall. Nevertheless, it is still too early for us to accept the inevitability of a bad season. I heard someone from Co-operative Bulk Handling on the radio, giving an explanation on the issue. His view - which I do not have the expertise to challenge - was that due to some rainfall earlier in the year, subsoil moisture was still satisfactory, provided that it rains fairly soon. I very much hope that we do get that rain, and that we do not have the bad season that the member for Moore fears. The government’s approach should be to wait to see just how the season progresses before it declares that we are going to have an awful season. Of course, the government cares for all Western Australians, particularly the people in regional Western Australia. There are processes, policies and programs in place for dealing with drought relief issues, and those programs and policies that have applied in the past will still apply, should the poor season and drought that the member for Moore fears come about. (2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
(2) Will the state government give an undertaking to quarantine any current and/or new fees, levies or charges that could emanate from the proposed new biosecurity and agricultural management legislation due to be introduced into Parliament this year? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1) It is always very worrying to be so far into winter without there having been adequate rainfall. I can remember controversies arising and anxieties occurring if there had been no rain by the middle of May, yet we have almost reached the end of June without having had adequate rainfall. Nevertheless, it is still too early for us to accept the inevitability of a bad season. I heard someone from Co-operative Bulk Handling on the radio, giving an explanation on the issue. His view - which I do not have the expertise to challenge - was that due to some rainfall earlier in the year, subsoil moisture was still satisfactory, provided that it rains fairly soon. I very much hope that we do get that rain, and that we do not have the bad season that the member for Moore fears. The government’s approach should be to wait to see just how the season progresses before it declares that we are going to have an awful season. Of course, the government cares for all Western Australians, particularly the people in regional Western Australia. There are processes, policies and programs in place for dealing with drought relief issues, and those programs and policies that have applied in the past will still apply, should the poor season and drought that the member for Moore fears come about. (2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1) It is always very worrying to be so far into winter without there having been adequate rainfall. I can remember controversies arising and anxieties occurring if there had been no rain by the middle of May, yet we have almost reached the end of June without having had adequate rainfall. Nevertheless, it is still too early for us to accept the inevitability of a bad season. I heard someone from Co-operative Bulk Handling on the radio, giving an explanation on the issue. His view - which I do not have the expertise to challenge - was that due to some rainfall earlier in the year, subsoil moisture was still satisfactory, provided that it rains fairly soon. I very much hope that we do get that rain, and that we do not have the bad season that the member for Moore fears. The government’s approach should be to wait to see just how the season progresses before it declares that we are going to have an awful season. Of course, the government cares for all Western Australians, particularly the people in regional Western Australia. There are processes, policies and programs in place for dealing with drought relief issues, and those programs and policies that have applied in the past will still apply, should the poor season and drought that the member for Moore fears come about. (2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
(1) It is always very worrying to be so far into winter without there having been adequate rainfall. I can remember controversies arising and anxieties occurring if there had been no rain by the middle of May, yet we have almost reached the end of June without having had adequate rainfall. Nevertheless, it is still too early for us to accept the inevitability of a bad season. I heard someone from Co-operative Bulk Handling on the radio, giving an explanation on the issue. His view - which I do not have the expertise to challenge - was that due to some rainfall earlier in the year, subsoil moisture was still satisfactory, provided that it rains fairly soon. I very much hope that we do get that rain, and that we do not have the bad season that the member for Moore fears. The government’s approach should be to wait to see just how the season progresses before it declares that we are going to have an awful season. Of course, the government cares for all Western Australians, particularly the people in regional Western Australia. There are processes, policies and programs in place for dealing with drought relief issues, and those programs and policies that have applied in the past will still apply, should the poor season and drought that the member for Moore fears come about. (2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
(2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
(2) Will the state government give an undertaking to quarantine any current and/or new fees, levies or charges that could emanate from the proposed new biosecurity and agricultural management legislation due to be introduced into Parliament this year? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1) It is always very worrying to be so far into winter without there having been adequate rainfall. I can remember controversies arising and anxieties occurring if there had been no rain by the middle of May, yet we have almost reached the end of June without having had adequate rainfall. Nevertheless, it is still too early for us to accept the inevitability of a bad season. I heard someone from Co-operative Bulk Handling on the radio, giving an explanation on the issue. His view - which I do not have the expertise to challenge - was that due to some rainfall earlier in the year, subsoil moisture was still satisfactory, provided that it rains fairly soon. I very much hope that we do get that rain, and that we do not have the bad season that the member for Moore fears. The government’s approach should be to wait to see just how the season progresses before it declares that we are going to have an awful season. Of course, the government cares for all Western Australians, particularly the people in regional Western Australia. There are processes, policies and programs in place for dealing with drought relief issues, and those programs and policies that have applied in the past will still apply, should the poor season and drought that the member for Moore fears come about. (2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1) It is always very worrying to be so far into winter without there having been adequate rainfall. I can remember controversies arising and anxieties occurring if there had been no rain by the middle of May, yet we have almost reached the end of June without having had adequate rainfall. Nevertheless, it is still too early for us to accept the inevitability of a bad season. I heard someone from Co-operative Bulk Handling on the radio, giving an explanation on the issue. His view - which I do not have the expertise to challenge - was that due to some rainfall earlier in the year, subsoil moisture was still satisfactory, provided that it rains fairly soon. I very much hope that we do get that rain, and that we do not have the bad season that the member for Moore fears. The government’s approach should be to wait to see just how the season progresses before it declares that we are going to have an awful season. Of course, the government cares for all Western Australians, particularly the people in regional Western Australia. There are processes, policies and programs in place for dealing with drought relief issues, and those programs and policies that have applied in the past will still apply, should the poor season and drought that the member for Moore fears come about. (2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
(1) It is always very worrying to be so far into winter without there having been adequate rainfall. I can remember controversies arising and anxieties occurring if there had been no rain by the middle of May, yet we have almost reached the end of June without having had adequate rainfall. Nevertheless, it is still too early for us to accept the inevitability of a bad season. I heard someone from Co-operative Bulk Handling on the radio, giving an explanation on the issue. His view - which I do not have the expertise to challenge - was that due to some rainfall earlier in the year, subsoil moisture was still satisfactory, provided that it rains fairly soon. I very much hope that we do get that rain, and that we do not have the bad season that the member for Moore fears. The government’s approach should be to wait to see just how the season progresses before it declares that we are going to have an awful season. Of course, the government cares for all Western Australians, particularly the people in regional Western Australia. There are processes, policies and programs in place for dealing with drought relief issues, and those programs and policies that have applied in the past will still apply, should the poor season and drought that the member for Moore fears come about. (2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
(2) The biosecurity legislation has not even been brought to the Parliament, let alone passed through the Parliament, so we are a long way away - possibly into the next season - from thinking about the application of any fees. I cannot confirm that there are fees under that legislation. In short, the government, through the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will monitor the situation very closely and respond as necessary.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.