❓ Question regarding the progress of the $195 million East Kimberley development package, with the Minister providing an update on infrastructure projects, agricultural developments (specifically rice), and the involvement of the MG Corporation.
AnsweredQoN 355Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EAST KIMBERLEY DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr D.A. Templeman : Greens on Wednesday! The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr D.A. Templeman : Greens on Wednesday! The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The SPEAKER : Order! Mr D.A. Templeman : Greens on Wednesday! The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr D.A. Templeman : Greens on Wednesday! The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The SPEAKER : Order! Mr D.A. Templeman : Greens on Wednesday! The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr D.A. Templeman : Greens on Wednesday! The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I see that a friend of mine has your name down as being formally called once. This will be a formal call for the second time. I formally call the member for Pilbara for the first time. I notice there is always some excitement when the member for North West gets to his feet. I do not understand any of this! Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr V.A. CATANIA : Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the minister update the house on the $195 million East Kimberley development package being rolled out under the state–commonwealth agreement. Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
I thank the member for North West for the question. Just as we have a major program for local government for the $210 million local government fund, there is also a major project going on in the East Kimberley. The Ord – East Kimberley development package is being rolled out. I am pleased to announce that the state government has met a major milestone with the appointment of the John Holland Group as the managing contractor to manage the design and construction of a $92 million program of education and health projects under the $195 million East Kimberley development package. Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Construction of these projects is planned from 2010 through to 2012. The contract will deliver the following projects: a $48.5 million upgrade to the Kununurra education precinct, including $18.8 million for secondary schools, $23 million for the primary school and expansion of the school community library and a new $4 million teacher training facility; $2.3 million to be allocated to community meeting room projects in Kununurra, Kalumburu, Oombulgurri and Dawul — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The SPEAKER : Order! Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Members opposite should support this; this is federal government funding. There is also a $9 million upgrade to the Kununurra TAFE complex and a $20 million hospital expansion, including a short-stay patient facility in Kununurra; a new health clinic at Warmun; a $2.5 million remote aged-care facility in Kalumburu; and a $1.5 million upgrade to the remote aged-care facility in Warmun. This is vital social infrastructure development that is supporting the expansion of the additional 8 000 hectares of irrigated farmland. It was due to the leadership of the Premier and the former Prime Minister, who met in Kununurra and put together the package that is now being rolled out on the ground. The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
The project is mainly about agriculture. I am very happy to add that one of the most exciting agricultural developments has been the success of a commercial trial of irrigated rice. Members opposite loved the idea that the Ord scheme was going to fail! This does not look like failure to me. This year New South Wales rice growers Laurie Arthur and Nick Lowing initiated commercial rice crops. Four hundred hectares of flood-irrigated rice was planted in March. The interesting thing is that, in the warmer conditions of the Ord, the crops have grown much quicker than expected. The crop has come to head three to five weeks sooner than occurs in the eastern states. The shorter growing period has resulted in the use of much less water than would otherwise be required. It looks as though this could be some of the most environmentally friendly rice grown in Australia. The crops are yet to be harvested. That will start within a week or two, but it looks as though they will have used around 10 megalitres of water per hectare, and that compares very well with other crops that could be grown in the valley. Harvest is expected in the first week of July and will be completed in August. Yields are expected to be in the order of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare. Crop performance has been good. Harvested rice will be stored in existing storage in Kununurra. Mr Arthur, from the Riverina in New South Wales, sees the Ord as a counter-seasonal growing opportunity for southern rice growers. Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
Members who watched Landline on the weekend would have seen a fantastic story that showed exactly what is happening in Kununurra. Landline should be compulsory viewing for everybody. I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
I will finish with what might be a wonderful development. The MG Corporation, which signed the final Ord agreement and facilitated this wonderful project under the leadership of Teddy Carlton, is currently in negotiations with Mr Arthur about using the land that is made available to it to grow rice as soon as the land becomes available. Maybe in the future we will see an MG Corporation–branded rice product on the supermarket shelves of the world. Would that not be a real result?
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