❓ Hon Steve Martin asks about WA sheep flock numbers from 2021-2025. The Minister provides figures based on a DPIRD model, as the ABS has ceased publishing official data. Flock numbers have decreased since 2021-22.
AnsweredQoN 121Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Sheep—Flock numbers
121. Hon Steve Martin to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the WA
sheep flock.
(1) Can the minister please provide the latest
available flock numbers for:
(a) 2021–22;
(b) 2022–23;
(c) 2023–24; and
(d) 2024–25?
(2) Does the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development conduct its own statistical monitoring of sheep flock
sizes?
(3) If yes to (2), can the latest available report
or summary be provided?
(4) If no to (2), what data does the government
rely on to determine the health of the industry?
121. Hon Steve Martin to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the WA
sheep flock.
(1) Can the minister please provide the latest
available flock numbers for:
(a) 2021–22;
(b) 2022–23;
(c) 2023–24; and
(d) 2024–25?
(2) Does the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development conduct its own statistical monitoring of sheep flock
sizes?
(3) If yes to (2), can the latest available report
or summary be provided?
(4) If no to (2), what data does the government
rely on to determine the health of the industry?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. This answer was prepared on
9 April, which was the day on which notice of the question was given.
(1)–(4) The Australian Bureau of
Statistics has not released official flock figures since 2021–22 due to
changes in the way it collects data. Since then, the Department of Primary
Industries and Regional Development has maintained a flock model to estimate
the size of the WA sheep flock based on long-term trends. This model contains a
range of data sources, including from the ABS, the Australian Bureau of
Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Meat & Livestock
Australia, Australian Wool Innovation and Australian Wool Testing Authority.
The rest of the
answer is in tabular form and I seek leave to have it incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted for
the following material to be incorporated.
Year
Flock number
2021-22
12.4 million*
2022-23
11.96 million
2023-24
9.52 million
2024-25
DPIRD will
release this figure shortly
*Official ABS
figure
honourable member for some notice of the question. This answer was prepared on
9 April, which was the day on which notice of the question was given.
(1)–(4) The Australian Bureau of
Statistics has not released official flock figures since 2021–22 due to
changes in the way it collects data. Since then, the Department of Primary
Industries and Regional Development has maintained a flock model to estimate
the size of the WA sheep flock based on long-term trends. This model contains a
range of data sources, including from the ABS, the Australian Bureau of
Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Meat & Livestock
Australia, Australian Wool Innovation and Australian Wool Testing Authority.
The rest of the
answer is in tabular form and I seek leave to have it incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted for
the following material to be incorporated.
Year
Flock number
2021-22
12.4 million*
2022-23
11.96 million
2023-24
9.52 million
2024-25
DPIRD will
release this figure shortly
*Official ABS
figure
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