❓ Hon Dee Margetts questions the WA government's support for the Australia-United States free trade agreement, particularly regarding its impact on WA agriculture. Hon Kim Chance defers answering, citing insufficient time and suggesting the question be placed on notice, while noting ongoing cooperation between state and federal governments.
AnsweredQoN 1170Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to recent reports in the media - The Australian of Monday, 18 August 2003 - about the Australian Labor Party’s support for the Australia-United States free trade agreement. (1) Does the Western Australian Government support the federal Labor Party’s stance on the Australia-United States free trade agreement? (2) If yes to (1) - (a) what feedback has the Western Australian Government given to the federal Government to ensure that the interests of the Western Australian agricultural industry are not threatened by the impact of an Australia-United States free trade agreement, especially in such important areas as the single desk, origin labelling, GMOs and quarantine standards; and (b) what process has the State Government undertaken to ascertain whether an Australia-United States free trade agreement is supported by Western Australians, especially the WA union movement and the agricultural sector? (3) Is the State’s support conditional on the agreement being better than it appears at the moment and, if so, what changes does the State Government believe are necessary to improve the agreement to be in the State’s interests? (4) Who has been representing Western Australia at the most recent round of negotiations in Hawaii? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
(1) Does the Western Australian Government support the federal Labor Party’s stance on the Australia-United States free trade agreement? (2) If yes to (1) - (a) what feedback has the Western Australian Government given to the federal Government to ensure that the interests of the Western Australian agricultural industry are not threatened by the impact of an Australia-United States free trade agreement, especially in such important areas as the single desk, origin labelling, GMOs and quarantine standards; and (b) what process has the State Government undertaken to ascertain whether an Australia-United States free trade agreement is supported by Western Australians, especially the WA union movement and the agricultural sector? (3) Is the State’s support conditional on the agreement being better than it appears at the moment and, if so, what changes does the State Government believe are necessary to improve the agreement to be in the State’s interests? (4) Who has been representing Western Australia at the most recent round of negotiations in Hawaii? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
(2) If yes to (1) - (a) what feedback has the Western Australian Government given to the federal Government to ensure that the interests of the Western Australian agricultural industry are not threatened by the impact of an Australia-United States free trade agreement, especially in such important areas as the single desk, origin labelling, GMOs and quarantine standards; and (b) what process has the State Government undertaken to ascertain whether an Australia-United States free trade agreement is supported by Western Australians, especially the WA union movement and the agricultural sector? (3) Is the State’s support conditional on the agreement being better than it appears at the moment and, if so, what changes does the State Government believe are necessary to improve the agreement to be in the State’s interests? (4) Who has been representing Western Australia at the most recent round of negotiations in Hawaii? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
(b) what process has the State Government undertaken to ascertain whether an Australia-United States free trade agreement is supported by Western Australians, especially the WA union movement and the agricultural sector?
(4) Who has been representing Western Australia at the most recent round of negotiations in Hawaii? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
(1) Does the Western Australian Government support the federal Labor Party’s stance on the Australia-United States free trade agreement? (2) If yes to (1) - (a) what feedback has the Western Australian Government given to the federal Government to ensure that the interests of the Western Australian agricultural industry are not threatened by the impact of an Australia-United States free trade agreement, especially in such important areas as the single desk, origin labelling, GMOs and quarantine standards; and (b) what process has the State Government undertaken to ascertain whether an Australia-United States free trade agreement is supported by Western Australians, especially the WA union movement and the agricultural sector? (3) Is the State’s support conditional on the agreement being better than it appears at the moment and, if so, what changes does the State Government believe are necessary to improve the agreement to be in the State’s interests? (4) Who has been representing Western Australia at the most recent round of negotiations in Hawaii? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
(2) If yes to (1) - (a) what feedback has the Western Australian Government given to the federal Government to ensure that the interests of the Western Australian agricultural industry are not threatened by the impact of an Australia-United States free trade agreement, especially in such important areas as the single desk, origin labelling, GMOs and quarantine standards; and (b) what process has the State Government undertaken to ascertain whether an Australia-United States free trade agreement is supported by Western Australians, especially the WA union movement and the agricultural sector? (3) Is the State’s support conditional on the agreement being better than it appears at the moment and, if so, what changes does the State Government believe are necessary to improve the agreement to be in the State’s interests? (4) Who has been representing Western Australia at the most recent round of negotiations in Hawaii? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
(b) what process has the State Government undertaken to ascertain whether an Australia-United States free trade agreement is supported by Western Australians, especially the WA union movement and the agricultural sector?
(4) Who has been representing Western Australia at the most recent round of negotiations in Hawaii? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. Providing information in the time required is not possible and it is requested that the member place the question on notice. Although this question was not directed to me, as the Minister for Agriculture I must say there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth and the State on this issue. That has been going on for some time and is continuing.
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