❓ Mr. Rundle questions the Premier's commitment to WA sheep farmers given the live export ban and funding for an electronic ID system. The Premier defends the government's support for agriculture, citing various investments and blaming the federal government's decision.
AnsweredQoN 322Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LIVE
EXPORT — SHEEP AND GOAT ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
322. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to last week's proud budget announcement of
$22.2 million to complete the implementation of the sheep and goat electronic
identification system. In the words of the Minister for Energy —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, just before we go on, can I just caution the
member for Landsdale and the Leader of the House.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry. If you would like, you may start
again, and hopefully we will hear the question in silence.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : I refer to last week's proud
budget announcement of $22.2 million to complete the implementation of the
sheep and goat electronic identification system. In the words of the Minister
for Energy, I ask whether the Premier has any understanding of the implication
of his silence on the banning of the live sheep export industry and the fact
that the Premier is overseeing the demise of the sheep flock in WA and
confidence in the industry while funding an electronic ID system, the use of
which will diminish by the day?
EXPORT — SHEEP AND GOAT ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
322. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to last week's proud budget announcement of
$22.2 million to complete the implementation of the sheep and goat electronic
identification system. In the words of the Minister for Energy —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, just before we go on, can I just caution the
member for Landsdale and the Leader of the House.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry. If you would like, you may start
again, and hopefully we will hear the question in silence.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : I refer to last week's proud
budget announcement of $22.2 million to complete the implementation of the
sheep and goat electronic identification system. In the words of the Minister
for Energy, I ask whether the Premier has any understanding of the implication
of his silence on the banning of the live sheep export industry and the fact
that the Premier is overseeing the demise of the sheep flock in WA and
confidence in the industry while funding an electronic ID system, the use of
which will diminish by the day?
AnswerView source ↗
The sheep and goat identification system is something we have
funded to the tune of, as the member said, $22.2
million. I recollect that we also funded the lumpy skin disease research
project. There is lumpy skin as well. To go back in history, agriculture
ministers in Labor governments have always done great things. I remember Kim
Chance took on the issue of karnal bunt, if anyone remembers that issue. He was
on the case about karnal bunt, which was out there impacting agricultural
communities as well.
Mr R.S. Love : It might sound funny to you, but it is a
serious issue.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your advice.
We have been taking on these issues out there. The member
might also recall that, contrary to what the former government did, we have invested $320 million for new agricultural
facilities at Murdoch University. Those
facilities had been languishing for decades. The government is replacing
them. The government has undertaken a whole range of initiatives to support
agriculture. That was an interesting segue.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is right; that old chestnut! The
National Party closed down tier 3 rail. Do members remember that? It closed
down tier 3 rail and then privatised the whole thing.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : There have been ongoing issues ever
since. Do you remember doing that?
Ms R. Saffioti : Whose decision was it? The PTA?
Mr M. McGOWAN : The PTA? Hold on: the opposition leader thinks
that the wheatbelt rail service was run by the Public Transport Authority! Were
there trains out there transporting people between Wyalkatchem and Mukinbudin?
Point of Order
The SPEAKER : Premier,
please resume your seat for a moment; there is a point of order. I remind
members that points of order are heard in silence.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : Madam
Speaker, I refer to standing order 78 and relevance. The question was about the
live sheep export industry, not tier 3 rail or other issues that the Premier
has moved on to.
The SPEAKER : As I understand it, the Premier was
drawing an analogy. I ask the Premier to answer in a relevant way.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN : We are funding initiatives for
agriculture. The opposition is attacking us for funding those initiatives for
agriculture because another government is making another decision.
Mr P.J. Rundle : You're not standing up on
behalf of Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I realise that the retention of
information is not the member's strong suit, but I have been on the
record numerous times about this matter. The member for Roe has asked me about
it numerous times in the Parliament. I have commented on the record again and
again, both publicly and in here, yet the member continues to repeat the same
questions over and over. The commonwealth government has made a decision and it
is beyond the next federal election. At the next federal election, people will
get to vote on it again. Whatever the outcome, the commonwealth government will
need to fund whatever transition is put in place. That is the reality of the situation. Despite the best efforts and
protestations of members opposite, we will continue to support the agricultural community with important programs like the sheep and goat identification
system, the lumpy skin program, the new agriculture headquarters and everything
else that is out there.
funded to the tune of, as the member said, $22.2
million. I recollect that we also funded the lumpy skin disease research
project. There is lumpy skin as well. To go back in history, agriculture
ministers in Labor governments have always done great things. I remember Kim
Chance took on the issue of karnal bunt, if anyone remembers that issue. He was
on the case about karnal bunt, which was out there impacting agricultural
communities as well.
Mr R.S. Love : It might sound funny to you, but it is a
serious issue.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your advice.
We have been taking on these issues out there. The member
might also recall that, contrary to what the former government did, we have invested $320 million for new agricultural
facilities at Murdoch University. Those
facilities had been languishing for decades. The government is replacing
them. The government has undertaken a whole range of initiatives to support
agriculture. That was an interesting segue.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is right; that old chestnut! The
National Party closed down tier 3 rail. Do members remember that? It closed
down tier 3 rail and then privatised the whole thing.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : There have been ongoing issues ever
since. Do you remember doing that?
Ms R. Saffioti : Whose decision was it? The PTA?
Mr M. McGOWAN : The PTA? Hold on: the opposition leader thinks
that the wheatbelt rail service was run by the Public Transport Authority! Were
there trains out there transporting people between Wyalkatchem and Mukinbudin?
Point of Order
The SPEAKER : Premier,
please resume your seat for a moment; there is a point of order. I remind
members that points of order are heard in silence.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : Madam
Speaker, I refer to standing order 78 and relevance. The question was about the
live sheep export industry, not tier 3 rail or other issues that the Premier
has moved on to.
The SPEAKER : As I understand it, the Premier was
drawing an analogy. I ask the Premier to answer in a relevant way.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN : We are funding initiatives for
agriculture. The opposition is attacking us for funding those initiatives for
agriculture because another government is making another decision.
Mr P.J. Rundle : You're not standing up on
behalf of Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I realise that the retention of
information is not the member's strong suit, but I have been on the
record numerous times about this matter. The member for Roe has asked me about
it numerous times in the Parliament. I have commented on the record again and
again, both publicly and in here, yet the member continues to repeat the same
questions over and over. The commonwealth government has made a decision and it
is beyond the next federal election. At the next federal election, people will
get to vote on it again. Whatever the outcome, the commonwealth government will
need to fund whatever transition is put in place. That is the reality of the situation. Despite the best efforts and
protestations of members opposite, we will continue to support the agricultural community with important programs like the sheep and goat identification
system, the lumpy skin program, the new agriculture headquarters and everything
else that is out there.
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