❓ Hon. Hallett questions the Minister for Agriculture and Food regarding delays in a report on Doppler radar expansion in WA, highlighting communication failures and lack of prioritization. The Minister clarifies the process and funding responsibilities.
AnsweredQoN 1169Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
AGRICULTURE — DOPPLER RADAR
1169. Hon NIGEL HALLETT to the Minister
for Agriculture and Food:
(1) On Thursday,
16 October, the Minister for Agriculture and Food informed this chamber that a
report into the costs and benefits of providing additional radars in WA, or
dopplerising existing radars, had been delayed by a further four weeks because
of difficulty in sourcing costing information. Why has the WA Department of
Agriculture and Food failed to communicate with Melbourne-based Environmental
Systems and Services, the company responsible for installing 60 of the 64
radars in Australia?
(2) Detailed
information on costings and suggested optimum locations for expanding WA's
radar network were obtained by my office from ESS Weathertech and formally
provided to the WA Minister for Agriculture and Food and the department in
October 2013. Why, 12 months later, is the Department of Agriculture and Food
claiming it is unable to source this information?
(3) Every state
and territory in Australia, except Western Australia, uses a mix of weather
stations and radar to provide highly accurate spatial analysis and quantitative
rainfall data, and severe storm information. Why is the government not
prioritising the installation of additional radars or progressively dopplerising
existing radars to provide the Bureau of Meteorology, farmers, miners and
emergency services with this latest technology?
With the
President's indulgence, I seek leave to table the document relating to
these questions.
Leave granted.
[See paper 2178.]
1169. Hon NIGEL HALLETT to the Minister
for Agriculture and Food:
(1) On Thursday,
16 October, the Minister for Agriculture and Food informed this chamber that a
report into the costs and benefits of providing additional radars in WA, or
dopplerising existing radars, had been delayed by a further four weeks because
of difficulty in sourcing costing information. Why has the WA Department of
Agriculture and Food failed to communicate with Melbourne-based Environmental
Systems and Services, the company responsible for installing 60 of the 64
radars in Australia?
(2) Detailed
information on costings and suggested optimum locations for expanding WA's
radar network were obtained by my office from ESS Weathertech and formally
provided to the WA Minister for Agriculture and Food and the department in
October 2013. Why, 12 months later, is the Department of Agriculture and Food
claiming it is unable to source this information?
(3) Every state
and territory in Australia, except Western Australia, uses a mix of weather
stations and radar to provide highly accurate spatial analysis and quantitative
rainfall data, and severe storm information. Why is the government not
prioritising the installation of additional radars or progressively dopplerising
existing radars to provide the Bureau of Meteorology, farmers, miners and
emergency services with this latest technology?
With the
President's indulgence, I seek leave to table the document relating to
these questions.
Leave granted.
[See paper 2178.]
AnswerView source ↗
I do not know what the document is, but this is the answer.
(1) The
Department of Agriculture and Food WA commissioned consultants AEC Group to
prepare a business case on expanded coverage for Doppler radar services across
the Agricultural Region. AEC has advised it experienced delays obtaining
detailed costing information from the Bureau of Meteorology for accredited
radar systems, but the report should be finalised in the coming weeks.
(2) Although I
have received basic costing provided by the honourable member, these are only
part of the detailed information needed by the state. AEC has the
responsibility for preparing an independent business case assessing the
expansion of Doppler radar services for government. Issues such as ongoing
maintenance, ownership, replacement, software upgrades and linkage to the BOM
network of an accredited system have to be negotiated with commonwealth
agencies.
(3) The state
government is very aware of the benefits of Doppler radar to agriculture,
aviation and fire and emergency services, and has raised with the federal
government the need to upgrade and expand our radar network. I make it clear
that Doppler radars are not a state government responsibility and for any
network to be comprehensive across the wheatbelt, it is likely to cost upward
of $20 million to $30 million over the lifespan and needs a comprehensive
business case.
(1) The
Department of Agriculture and Food WA commissioned consultants AEC Group to
prepare a business case on expanded coverage for Doppler radar services across
the Agricultural Region. AEC has advised it experienced delays obtaining
detailed costing information from the Bureau of Meteorology for accredited
radar systems, but the report should be finalised in the coming weeks.
(2) Although I
have received basic costing provided by the honourable member, these are only
part of the detailed information needed by the state. AEC has the
responsibility for preparing an independent business case assessing the
expansion of Doppler radar services for government. Issues such as ongoing
maintenance, ownership, replacement, software upgrades and linkage to the BOM
network of an accredited system have to be negotiated with commonwealth
agencies.
(3) The state
government is very aware of the benefits of Doppler radar to agriculture,
aviation and fire and emergency services, and has raised with the federal
government the need to upgrade and expand our radar network. I make it clear
that Doppler radars are not a state government responsibility and for any
network to be comprehensive across the wheatbelt, it is likely to cost upward
of $20 million to $30 million over the lifespan and needs a comprehensive
business case.
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