❓ The Minister for Fisheries announces Huon Aquaculture's investment in a 2,200-hectare lease in the Midwest aquaculture zone, highlighting its potential to significantly boost WA's aquaculture industry and create jobs, emphasizing it's a commercial arrangement without subsidies.
AnsweredQoN 775Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HUON AQUACULTURE
775. Ms J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to diversifying the Western Australian economy,
growing new industries and creating jobs across WA. Can the minister update the
house about how the government is driving growth in the aquaculture industry
and encouraging businesses such as Huon Aquaculture to invest in Western Australia
and create jobs across the state?
775. Ms J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to diversifying the Western Australian economy,
growing new industries and creating jobs across WA. Can the minister update the
house about how the government is driving growth in the aquaculture industry
and encouraging businesses such as Huon Aquaculture to invest in Western Australia
and create jobs across the state?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for Mirrabooka for her question. Last Friday, the Premier and
I announced that Huon Aquaculture has taken up a 2 200-hectare lease in
the midwest aquaculture zone. This will be a game changer for aquaculture in Western
Australia. WA's production of aquaculture is only about one per cent of
the nation's production. Compared with other states, especially Tasmania
and South Australia, we are really underdone. When we came to government we
committed to diversifying the Western Australian economy and we identified
aquaculture as one area in which we saw great opportunities; the announcement
we made on Friday is part of bringing that work to the next level. To have an
organisation like Huon Aquaculture set up in Western Australia is a great coup
for the state. Most people will know Huon for its salmon production in
Tasmania. It is one of the big producers of salmon. It started off as a small
family operation and is now a publicly listed company producing top quality
produce. A lot of people would not know that Huon has been trialling yellowtail
kingfish in New South Wales and it has determined that Western Australia is the
best place to set up a large-scale yellowtail kingfish aquaculture operation.
It employs hundreds of staff in Tasmania and that creates thousands of jobs
throughout the economy. Huon believes that it can build a business in Western Australia
that will rival the scale of what it does in Tasmania. The benefits for the
midwest are simply enormous. I have not seen the member for Geraldton out there
yet congratulating us for bringing home this —
Mr I.C. Blayney : You could
have invited a few locals.
Mr D.J. KELLY : I remember
that I got invited to a lot of announcements when the previous government was
in place.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Let us not be
churlish about who got invited where, let us hear members opposite say that
this is a fantastic initiative for the midwest region. It is a fabulous
initiative.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : People have
said to me that the state government must be paying a subsidy to lure a great
company such as Huon across to WA. I want to make it clear that this is an
absolutely commercial arrangement. We put out an expression of interest for the
new midwest aquaculture zone. Huon put in an expression of interest and we have
negotiated lease fees that are comparable to the lease fees that it pays in
Tasmania. There will be not only jobs, but also revenue coming back to the
state. That is pretty rare in Western Australia. Under the previous government,
peppercorn rents for these arrangements were pretty much what was envisaged. We
have negotiated a commercial arrangement with Huon with lease fees that rival
what it does in Tasmania. It is a fantastic initiative and will be a game
changer in the midwest.
I
want to finish off by congratulating the founders of Huon, Peter and Frances
Bender, who were today announced as the Australian Farmer of the Year
for 2018 by ABC Rural. For the first time ever a salmon farmer has been named
Farmer of the Year. Congratulations to Peter and Frances. We look forward to
Huon coming over here, creating Western Australian jobs and delivering on WA
Labor's commitment to diversify the Western Australian economy.
thank the member for Mirrabooka for her question. Last Friday, the Premier and
I announced that Huon Aquaculture has taken up a 2 200-hectare lease in
the midwest aquaculture zone. This will be a game changer for aquaculture in Western
Australia. WA's production of aquaculture is only about one per cent of
the nation's production. Compared with other states, especially Tasmania
and South Australia, we are really underdone. When we came to government we
committed to diversifying the Western Australian economy and we identified
aquaculture as one area in which we saw great opportunities; the announcement
we made on Friday is part of bringing that work to the next level. To have an
organisation like Huon Aquaculture set up in Western Australia is a great coup
for the state. Most people will know Huon for its salmon production in
Tasmania. It is one of the big producers of salmon. It started off as a small
family operation and is now a publicly listed company producing top quality
produce. A lot of people would not know that Huon has been trialling yellowtail
kingfish in New South Wales and it has determined that Western Australia is the
best place to set up a large-scale yellowtail kingfish aquaculture operation.
It employs hundreds of staff in Tasmania and that creates thousands of jobs
throughout the economy. Huon believes that it can build a business in Western Australia
that will rival the scale of what it does in Tasmania. The benefits for the
midwest are simply enormous. I have not seen the member for Geraldton out there
yet congratulating us for bringing home this —
Mr I.C. Blayney : You could
have invited a few locals.
Mr D.J. KELLY : I remember
that I got invited to a lot of announcements when the previous government was
in place.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Let us not be
churlish about who got invited where, let us hear members opposite say that
this is a fantastic initiative for the midwest region. It is a fabulous
initiative.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : People have
said to me that the state government must be paying a subsidy to lure a great
company such as Huon across to WA. I want to make it clear that this is an
absolutely commercial arrangement. We put out an expression of interest for the
new midwest aquaculture zone. Huon put in an expression of interest and we have
negotiated lease fees that are comparable to the lease fees that it pays in
Tasmania. There will be not only jobs, but also revenue coming back to the
state. That is pretty rare in Western Australia. Under the previous government,
peppercorn rents for these arrangements were pretty much what was envisaged. We
have negotiated a commercial arrangement with Huon with lease fees that rival
what it does in Tasmania. It is a fantastic initiative and will be a game
changer in the midwest.
I
want to finish off by congratulating the founders of Huon, Peter and Frances
Bender, who were today announced as the Australian Farmer of the Year
for 2018 by ABC Rural. For the first time ever a salmon farmer has been named
Farmer of the Year. Congratulations to Peter and Frances. We look forward to
Huon coming over here, creating Western Australian jobs and delivering on WA
Labor's commitment to diversify the Western Australian economy.
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