❓ Hon Jim Chown asks about the status of investigations into mass cattle deaths at Yandeyarra and Noonkanbah stations, specifically regarding advice from the State Solicitor's Office on potential animal cruelty charges. The Minister cites COVID-19 as a reason for delays.
AnsweredQoN 625Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ANIMAL WELFARE —
CATTLE DEATHS —NOONKANBAH STATION AND YANDEYARRA RESERVE
625. Hon JIM CHOWN to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the mass cattle deaths on
Yandeyarra and Noonkanbah stations during December 2018.
(1) Following the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development's investigation into the mass cattle deaths on Yandeyarra station and DPIRD's
consequent referral of the matter to the State Solicitor's Office, what
advice has the State Solicitor's Office provided about whether animal
cruelty charges are warranted?
(2) Has the
matter of the mass cattle deaths on Noonkanbah station been referred to the
State Solicitor's Office for advice on animal cruelty charges; and, if
not, why not?
CATTLE DEATHS —NOONKANBAH STATION AND YANDEYARRA RESERVE
625. Hon JIM CHOWN to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the mass cattle deaths on
Yandeyarra and Noonkanbah stations during December 2018.
(1) Following the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development's investigation into the mass cattle deaths on Yandeyarra station and DPIRD's
consequent referral of the matter to the State Solicitor's Office, what
advice has the State Solicitor's Office provided about whether animal
cruelty charges are warranted?
(2) Has the
matter of the mass cattle deaths on Noonkanbah station been referred to the
State Solicitor's Office for advice on animal cruelty charges; and, if
not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for the question.
(1)–(2) Obviously,
some major issues have occurred in the state that have had to be prioritised.
In relation to Yandeyarra, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development sent its brief to the State Solicitor's Office in December
and has not yet received advice. In the normal course of events, we would have
expected to have received that back by March, but, as we know, it became
evident in February that as a state we needed to start responding to the
COVID-19 crisis. The State Solicitor's resources have been very much
diverted towards dealing with the many, many issues that are involved with the
provision of our emergency response, the emergency orders and the special
COVID-19 legislation that has been put into
place. We have been advised that we can expect the report back from the State
Solicitor on Yandeyarra in the next eight weeks. We have referred the
Noonkanbah matter to the State Solicitor's Office.
member for the question.
(1)–(2) Obviously,
some major issues have occurred in the state that have had to be prioritised.
In relation to Yandeyarra, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development sent its brief to the State Solicitor's Office in December
and has not yet received advice. In the normal course of events, we would have
expected to have received that back by March, but, as we know, it became
evident in February that as a state we needed to start responding to the
COVID-19 crisis. The State Solicitor's resources have been very much
diverted towards dealing with the many, many issues that are involved with the
provision of our emergency response, the emergency orders and the special
COVID-19 legislation that has been put into
place. We have been advised that we can expect the report back from the State
Solicitor on Yandeyarra in the next eight weeks. We have referred the
Noonkanbah matter to the State Solicitor's Office.
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