❓ The Premier defends the Minister for Agriculture and Food's handling of the live export issue and asserts a strong working relationship with the federal government, despite concerns raised about communication and support for WA sheep producers.
AnsweredQoN 871Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LIVE EXPORT —
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POLICY — MINISTERIAL REPRESENTATIONS
871. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to statements by the
Minister for Agriculture and Food that the federal Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, has confirmed his commitment to end live
sheep exports by sea and that the horse has bolted
on any backflip. I note that freedom of information requests have revealed no
formal communication between Hon
Jackie Jarvis or her office and the federal agricultural minister over a six-week
period while the consultation was running, and further note that the WA
state government has now dropped the charges in the Emanuel Exports case.
(1) Will the
Premier now give his full support to the WA sheep producers and the 3 500
people involved in this $100 million WA industry?
(2) Will the
Premier now instruct the Minister for Agriculture and Food to get on board and
start advocating to the federal agriculture minister in favour of continuing
this industry?
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POLICY — MINISTERIAL REPRESENTATIONS
871. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to statements by the
Minister for Agriculture and Food that the federal Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, has confirmed his commitment to end live
sheep exports by sea and that the horse has bolted
on any backflip. I note that freedom of information requests have revealed no
formal communication between Hon
Jackie Jarvis or her office and the federal agricultural minister over a six-week
period while the consultation was running, and further note that the WA
state government has now dropped the charges in the Emanuel Exports case.
(1) Will the
Premier now give his full support to the WA sheep producers and the 3 500
people involved in this $100 million WA industry?
(2) Will the
Premier now instruct the Minister for Agriculture and Food to get on board and
start advocating to the federal agriculture minister in favour of continuing
this industry?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The
Minister for Agriculture and Food is one of the best ministers for agriculture
we have seen in many years. She is doing a fantastic job stewarding an industry
into the modern age and making sure that our primary industries, and in
particular our livestock industries, are equipped to meet the challenges of the
future so that we can maintain our status as a competitive primary producer.
That is one of the sectors we have identified in our Diversify WA strategy as
we continue to look at how we can add value to products to produce agrifoods as
a great export-oriented industry. The minister is doing an amazing job as part
of that important body of work.
The minister has a very strong
working relationship with her federal counterpart. One of the things that distinguishes WA Labor in government compared with
the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA when t hey were in government is
that we actually talk to and work with the federal government to make sure that
it understands what the opportunities in Western
Australia are, particularly the funding opportunities around major transport infrastructure and particularly
for the GST. That deal has significantly put us on a great pathway to making sure that Western Australians continue
to receive their fair share of the national GST pie.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food
has a very strong working relationship with the Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry at the federal level. I know that those opposite have
done FOIs to see what written communications exist between the federal and
state ministers. As they would be aware, the state minister has taken a number
of opportunities, both through our fulsome submission to the review of live
animal exports and, of course, in other correspondence. The WA Minister for
Agriculture and Food has been in constant dialogue with Minister Murray Watts
to make sure that he is aware of the challenges WA farmers face in relation to that potential decision. It is because of
that that we have been able to equip the federal government with all the
facts it needs to guide it on those deliberations. That stands in stark
contrast to the sorry mob opposite. When they were in government, they did not
talk to anyone else. The Liberals and
Nationals hardly talk to each other, let alone with other levels of government.
The federal government is well aware of our view on those pending decisions
and we have made that very clear.
Minister for Agriculture and Food is one of the best ministers for agriculture
we have seen in many years. She is doing a fantastic job stewarding an industry
into the modern age and making sure that our primary industries, and in
particular our livestock industries, are equipped to meet the challenges of the
future so that we can maintain our status as a competitive primary producer.
That is one of the sectors we have identified in our Diversify WA strategy as
we continue to look at how we can add value to products to produce agrifoods as
a great export-oriented industry. The minister is doing an amazing job as part
of that important body of work.
The minister has a very strong
working relationship with her federal counterpart. One of the things that distinguishes WA Labor in government compared with
the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA when t hey were in government is
that we actually talk to and work with the federal government to make sure that
it understands what the opportunities in Western
Australia are, particularly the funding opportunities around major transport infrastructure and particularly
for the GST. That deal has significantly put us on a great pathway to making sure that Western Australians continue
to receive their fair share of the national GST pie.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food
has a very strong working relationship with the Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry at the federal level. I know that those opposite have
done FOIs to see what written communications exist between the federal and
state ministers. As they would be aware, the state minister has taken a number
of opportunities, both through our fulsome submission to the review of live
animal exports and, of course, in other correspondence. The WA Minister for
Agriculture and Food has been in constant dialogue with Minister Murray Watts
to make sure that he is aware of the challenges WA farmers face in relation to that potential decision. It is because of
that that we have been able to equip the federal government with all the
facts it needs to guide it on those deliberations. That stands in stark
contrast to the sorry mob opposite. When they were in government, they did not
talk to anyone else. The Liberals and
Nationals hardly talk to each other, let alone with other levels of government.
The federal government is well aware of our view on those pending decisions
and we have made that very clear.
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