❓ Question regarding the Liberal-National government's pastoral lease renewal program, prompted by concerns raised on Country Hour. The Minister's response defends the government's process and criticises the Member for Gosnells' comments as misleading and confusing.
AnsweredQoN 854Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PASTORAL
LEASES — RENEWAL
854. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the
Minister for Lands:
I refer to the member for Gosnells' comments on Country
Hour yesterday about the renewal of pastoral leases. Can the minister please
outline the Liberal–National government's pastoral lease
renewal program?
LEASES — RENEWAL
854. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the
Minister for Lands:
I refer to the member for Gosnells' comments on Country
Hour yesterday about the renewal of pastoral leases. Can the minister please
outline the Liberal–National government's pastoral lease
renewal program?
AnswerView source ↗
This house is very much aware that we are working through in the pastoral lease renewal process
because, as members know, all the pastoral leases come up for renewal at the
end of June 2015. It is an exhaustive process to ensure that we comply with all
the issues that need to be complied with to achieve that rollover. I was very, very surprised to hear
yesterday the member for Gosnells on Country Hour prosecuting an
argument trying to link the viability of pastoral leases to the renewal
process. He was absolutely misleading and creating uncertainty and confusion
among pastoral lease holders.
Mr C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : He
was creating uncertainty and confusion among pastoral lease holders listening
to his commentary on the radio. It made them ask whether the government would
use viability criteria to determine whether their pastoral lease would roll
over. My office and the offices of other members took phone calls about the
member for Gosnells' commentary, which was totally misleading.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : He
also went to the point of saying that we will provide freehold homesteads as
compensation for losing their pastoral lease. The member n ot only prosecuted an argument linking
viability to the rollover, but also said that we think that the government
should give them freehold homesteads for losing their pastoral leases —
Mr C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the second time. If you want to
ask a question, put your name down.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : I do
not want to hear from you, member for Albany.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
That is small compensation for someone who loses their pastoral lease. I want
to make it intimately clear that the rollover of pastoral leases relates to
compliance.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the second time. Member for
Albany, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I make it very, very clear that the rollover of pastoral
leases relates to compliance, pastoral rents, Agriculture Protection Board
rates and any outstanding conservation notices. We are working through that
process. I am very sure that come rollover time, there will be a high level of
compliance to allow it to happen. The Leader of the Opposition needs to rein in
the member for Gosnells. He has also asked in this place why we are not weeding
out non-viable pastoral leases. The opposition's position, as stated by
its spokesman for the environment, is talking about weeding out pastoral
leases. I wonder —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Member for Bassendean—the wall of noise. Through the Chair
please, minister.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : It's
not viable for property development.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park! Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the
first time. Minister, bring this to a close and talk through the Chair, please.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I wonder what the view of the member for Kimberley is because
she knows full well that about one-third of pastoral leases in the Pilbara and
Kimberley are Aboriginal-owned pastoral leases. I wonder what the member for
Kimberley thinks about the commentary of the member for Gosnells, who sits in
front of her, that we should weed out non-viable pastoral leases. There are
viability challenges right across the board in the pastoral industry, which is
why the government has embarked on a pastoral reform process. We want to allow
diversification and other opportunities to come into the industry so that we
can have a long and prosperous future. The member for Gosnells needs to be
reined in by the Leader of the Opposition. This is a test for him because the
member for Gosnells' commentary is misleading and confusing.
because, as members know, all the pastoral leases come up for renewal at the
end of June 2015. It is an exhaustive process to ensure that we comply with all
the issues that need to be complied with to achieve that rollover. I was very, very surprised to hear
yesterday the member for Gosnells on Country Hour prosecuting an
argument trying to link the viability of pastoral leases to the renewal
process. He was absolutely misleading and creating uncertainty and confusion
among pastoral lease holders.
Mr C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : He
was creating uncertainty and confusion among pastoral lease holders listening
to his commentary on the radio. It made them ask whether the government would
use viability criteria to determine whether their pastoral lease would roll
over. My office and the offices of other members took phone calls about the
member for Gosnells' commentary, which was totally misleading.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : He
also went to the point of saying that we will provide freehold homesteads as
compensation for losing their pastoral lease. The member n ot only prosecuted an argument linking
viability to the rollover, but also said that we think that the government
should give them freehold homesteads for losing their pastoral leases —
Mr C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the second time. If you want to
ask a question, put your name down.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : I do
not want to hear from you, member for Albany.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
That is small compensation for someone who loses their pastoral lease. I want
to make it intimately clear that the rollover of pastoral leases relates to
compliance.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the second time. Member for
Albany, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I make it very, very clear that the rollover of pastoral
leases relates to compliance, pastoral rents, Agriculture Protection Board
rates and any outstanding conservation notices. We are working through that
process. I am very sure that come rollover time, there will be a high level of
compliance to allow it to happen. The Leader of the Opposition needs to rein in
the member for Gosnells. He has also asked in this place why we are not weeding
out non-viable pastoral leases. The opposition's position, as stated by
its spokesman for the environment, is talking about weeding out pastoral
leases. I wonder —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Member for Bassendean—the wall of noise. Through the Chair
please, minister.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : It's
not viable for property development.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park! Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the
first time. Minister, bring this to a close and talk through the Chair, please.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I wonder what the view of the member for Kimberley is because
she knows full well that about one-third of pastoral leases in the Pilbara and
Kimberley are Aboriginal-owned pastoral leases. I wonder what the member for
Kimberley thinks about the commentary of the member for Gosnells, who sits in
front of her, that we should weed out non-viable pastoral leases. There are
viability challenges right across the board in the pastoral industry, which is
why the government has embarked on a pastoral reform process. We want to allow
diversification and other opportunities to come into the industry so that we
can have a long and prosperous future. The member for Gosnells needs to be
reined in by the Leader of the Opposition. This is a test for him because the
member for Gosnells' commentary is misleading and confusing.
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