❓ Question regarding the Liberal-National government's support for local agrifood businesses in Western Australia. The Minister's answer highlights the government's initiatives and investments in the agriculture sector, contrasting it with the opposition's record.
AnsweredQoN 829Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AGRIFOOD BUSINESSES
829. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for
Regional Development:
Can the minister please tell the
house —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to
order for the first time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you!
Ms
S.F. McGurk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Fremantle, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order
for the third time.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
Suspension of Member
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, leave the chamber.
[The member for Bassendean left the
chamber.]
Questions without Notice Resumed
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is enough. I thought we were going to
have a reasonable day today.
Mr
V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for North West Central, I call you
to order for the first time.
Ms L. METTAM : My question is to the Minister for
Regional Development. Can the minister please tell the house how the Liberal–National
government is supporting local agrifood businesses to take advantage of new
market —
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order
for the first time.
Ms L. METTAM : Can the minister please tell the house how
the Liberal–National government is supporting local agrifood businesses
to take advantage of new market opportunities?
829. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for
Regional Development:
Can the minister please tell the
house —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to
order for the first time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you!
Ms
S.F. McGurk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Fremantle, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order
for the third time.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
Suspension of Member
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, leave the chamber.
[The member for Bassendean left the
chamber.]
Questions without Notice Resumed
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is enough. I thought we were going to
have a reasonable day today.
Mr
V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for North West Central, I call you
to order for the first time.
Ms L. METTAM : My question is to the Minister for
Regional Development. Can the minister please tell the house how the Liberal–National
government is supporting local agrifood businesses to take advantage of new
market —
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order
for the first time.
Ms L. METTAM : Can the minister please tell the house how
the Liberal–National government is supporting local agrifood businesses
to take advantage of new market opportunities?
AnswerView source ↗
This side of the house supports the
agriculture sector. We know what the history is like on the other side.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston!
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : When we came into government, we put in place and secured a $300
million Seizing the Opportunity Agriculture initiative. The best the opposition
could come up with going into that election was $40 million, let alone the
policy racking it had in the agriculture space compared with what we have been
able to roll out over the last four years.
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is something we are extremely proud
of.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the first time and
member for Collie–Preston for the first time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : We took that initiative to the last election, and we have been
able to roll out a range of projects that fit under the Seizing the Opportunity
Agriculture initiative. Recently, with the support of the Minister for
Agriculture and Food, we announced the Western Australian Premium Food Centre
in Manjimup. I am very pleased that the member for Vasse has asked this
question, because her support for Busselton Airport has allowed the potential
for planes to come in from overseas and be a very secure —
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I have been quite lenient with
you. I call you to order for the second time. Let us have a quick answer. We
have now lost impetus.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The upgrade of the airport, once it comes to fruition, will
allow planes to come in from overseas and will provide for a very efficient
supply chain of product directly out of the south west into overseas markets.
We are obviously very pleased about that. The Premium Food Centre offers
high-value, often low‑input, premium products such as organics and
perhaps truffles marketing opportunities that are in some cases very difficult
for smaller producers to achieve. Obviously a big part of the agricultural
sector in Western Australia is focused on the broader commodity markets and
opportunities, but a Premium Food Centre that focuses on all of Western Australia,
not just the south west, provides an opportunity for smaller, high-value
premium producers to make use of advice and collaborations to come together and
build scale to access those markets. We are very proud of the quality of
products coming out of Western Australia at both global and small producer
levels. They are producing high-quality, premium products. There is a lot of
innovation happening, particularly in Manjimup. Obviously I am pleased to have
the Premium Food Centre in my own electorate because it is indicative of a number
of regions in Western Australia that have such an approach to their products.
We have been able to support that
with $3 million of royalties for regions money, plus about $900 000 from the
Department of Agriculture and Food. There is a focus on securing markets into
premium sectors; assisting businesses statewide to upscale and coordinate
production and promotion of high-value, low-input products; and facilitating
collaboration and partnerships. This is yet another example of what this
government is doing to support the agricultural sector in Western Australia—unlike
the opposition.
agriculture sector. We know what the history is like on the other side.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston!
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : When we came into government, we put in place and secured a $300
million Seizing the Opportunity Agriculture initiative. The best the opposition
could come up with going into that election was $40 million, let alone the
policy racking it had in the agriculture space compared with what we have been
able to roll out over the last four years.
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr D.T. REDMAN : That is something we are extremely proud
of.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the first time and
member for Collie–Preston for the first time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : We took that initiative to the last election, and we have been
able to roll out a range of projects that fit under the Seizing the Opportunity
Agriculture initiative. Recently, with the support of the Minister for
Agriculture and Food, we announced the Western Australian Premium Food Centre
in Manjimup. I am very pleased that the member for Vasse has asked this
question, because her support for Busselton Airport has allowed the potential
for planes to come in from overseas and be a very secure —
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I have been quite lenient with
you. I call you to order for the second time. Let us have a quick answer. We
have now lost impetus.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The upgrade of the airport, once it comes to fruition, will
allow planes to come in from overseas and will provide for a very efficient
supply chain of product directly out of the south west into overseas markets.
We are obviously very pleased about that. The Premium Food Centre offers
high-value, often low‑input, premium products such as organics and
perhaps truffles marketing opportunities that are in some cases very difficult
for smaller producers to achieve. Obviously a big part of the agricultural
sector in Western Australia is focused on the broader commodity markets and
opportunities, but a Premium Food Centre that focuses on all of Western Australia,
not just the south west, provides an opportunity for smaller, high-value
premium producers to make use of advice and collaborations to come together and
build scale to access those markets. We are very proud of the quality of
products coming out of Western Australia at both global and small producer
levels. They are producing high-quality, premium products. There is a lot of
innovation happening, particularly in Manjimup. Obviously I am pleased to have
the Premium Food Centre in my own electorate because it is indicative of a number
of regions in Western Australia that have such an approach to their products.
We have been able to support that
with $3 million of royalties for regions money, plus about $900 000 from the
Department of Agriculture and Food. There is a focus on securing markets into
premium sectors; assisting businesses statewide to upscale and coordinate
production and promotion of high-value, low-input products; and facilitating
collaboration and partnerships. This is yet another example of what this
government is doing to support the agricultural sector in Western Australia—unlike
the opposition.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.