❓ Hon Rick Mazza asks about the funding and staffing of the Department of Agriculture and Food's livestock compliance unit following the transfer of responsibilities from the WA Police stock squad in 2009. The Minister provides some figures but notes that funding is not quarantined and staff numbers fluctuate.
AnsweredQoN 225Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN AUSTRALIA POLICE–DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND FOODMEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING — LIVESTOCK
225. Hon RICK MAZZA to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the memorandum of understanding between Western
Australia Police and the Department of Agriculture and Food under which funding
and responsibilities were transferred from the WA Police stock squad to DAFWA's
livestock compliance unit in May 2009.
(1) What amount
of funding was transferred between the agencies for each of the years 2010 to
2014?
(2) How many
personnel were assigned to the livestock compliance unit for each of the years
2010 to 2014?
(3) What quantum of the annual funding was applied to —
(a) tracking
and compliance for livestock transfers through the national livestock
identification system and other established livestock identification systems
for each of the years 2010 to 2014;
(b) animal welfare issues for each
of the years 2010 to 2014; and
(c) other for each of the years
2010 to 2014?
AGRICULTURE AND FOODMEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING — LIVESTOCK
225. Hon RICK MAZZA to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the memorandum of understanding between Western
Australia Police and the Department of Agriculture and Food under which funding
and responsibilities were transferred from the WA Police stock squad to DAFWA's
livestock compliance unit in May 2009.
(1) What amount
of funding was transferred between the agencies for each of the years 2010 to
2014?
(2) How many
personnel were assigned to the livestock compliance unit for each of the years
2010 to 2014?
(3) What quantum of the annual funding was applied to —
(a) tracking
and compliance for livestock transfers through the national livestock
identification system and other established livestock identification systems
for each of the years 2010 to 2014;
(b) animal welfare issues for each
of the years 2010 to 2014; and
(c) other for each of the years
2010 to 2014?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) An amount
of $252 700 was permanently transferred to the base funding for the Department
of Agriculture and Food of Western Australia in 2011–12.
(2) The
following personnel numbers are based on beginning of financial year budget
estimate summaries and do not account for staff changes throughout each year.
In 2010–11, three staff members were in livestock compliance. From 2011–12,
the functions of livestock compliance and animal welfare regulation and
inspection were combined into the livestock compliance unit. From 2011–12,
there has been a minimum of seven staff in the livestock compliance unit.
(3) The transfer
funding from the Western Australia Police has not been quarantined separately
within the livestock compliance unit budget. In accordance with the memorandum
of understanding, livestock compliance unit inspectors assist Western Australia
Police with livestock crime investigations and maintain a presence at points of
livestock aggregation in Western Australia to deter stock theft and encourage
industry compliance with stock identification and movement legislation. Any
requests made by Western Australia Police for assistance with livestock crime
investigations are treated as the highest priority.
question.
(1) An amount
of $252 700 was permanently transferred to the base funding for the Department
of Agriculture and Food of Western Australia in 2011–12.
(2) The
following personnel numbers are based on beginning of financial year budget
estimate summaries and do not account for staff changes throughout each year.
In 2010–11, three staff members were in livestock compliance. From 2011–12,
the functions of livestock compliance and animal welfare regulation and
inspection were combined into the livestock compliance unit. From 2011–12,
there has been a minimum of seven staff in the livestock compliance unit.
(3) The transfer
funding from the Western Australia Police has not been quarantined separately
within the livestock compliance unit budget. In accordance with the memorandum
of understanding, livestock compliance unit inspectors assist Western Australia
Police with livestock crime investigations and maintain a presence at points of
livestock aggregation in Western Australia to deter stock theft and encourage
industry compliance with stock identification and movement legislation. Any
requests made by Western Australia Police for assistance with livestock crime
investigations are treated as the highest priority.
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