❓ Question regarding the potential negative impact of the federal government's live cattle export ban to Indonesia on Indigenous communities in northern WA who rely on the pastoral industry for employment and income. The Minister's answer highlights the importance of Indigenous-owned pastoral leases and criticises the federal government's decision.
AnsweredQoN 409Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LIVE CATTLE TRADE SUSPENSION — IMPACT ON INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
As the minister would know, the pastoral industry plays a critical role in providing employment and income to Indigenous communities in the north of the state. Can the minister please explain what impact the federal government’s ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia could have on these Indigenous communities? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN
As the minister would know, the pastoral industry plays a critical role in providing employment and income to Indigenous communities in the north of the state. Can the minister please explain what impact the federal government’s ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia could have on these Indigenous communities? Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN
AnswerView source ↗
It would have been a good opportunity to raise this key issue with him and take it up—absolutely! I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: It would have been a good opportunity to raise this key issue with him and take it up—absolutely! I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: It would have been a good opportunity to raise this key issue with him and take it up—absolutely! I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It would have been a good opportunity to raise this key issue with him and take it up—absolutely! I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: It would have been a good opportunity to raise this key issue with him and take it up—absolutely! I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: It would have been a good opportunity to raise this key issue with him and take it up—absolutely! I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It would have been a good opportunity to raise this key issue with him and take it up—absolutely! I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It might not be widely known in the house but a significant number of pastoral leases are either owned or managed by Indigenous people—roughly one-third of the stations in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Thirty-two pastoral stations in the Kimberley and 10 in the Pilbara are owned or managed by Indigenous people. They are significant employers in those regions. Over time, the state government has invested heavily in those stations, particularly in supporting strong governance arrangements to ensure that they carry on being successful. These are very good examples and are in fact the shining light of the pathway to economic independence for Indigenous people in those regions. The Department of Agriculture and Food, through its Indigenous landholder service, provides services and support for more than 3 000 Aboriginal people from 70 properties across the state, covering more than five million hectares. Therefore, it is a significant investment of effort to get the support needed for Indigenous people to maintain success on those pastoral leases. It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It is interesting that our model is being used in other areas; it is being looked at in South Australia, the Northern Territory and even South Africa. It was also a finalist in last year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Department of Agriculture and Food should be very proud of that. Clearly, it is making a difference. I respect and acknowledge the effort the Department of Agriculture and Food, under the leadership of director general Rob Delane, makes to support this government and pastoralists in Western Australia to work through the challenges that they face. A huge number of people are putting in a huge amount of effort, and it is outstanding, to say the least. The Indigenous people who manage these stations should be very proud of their achievements. Those stations are now much more productive. There are natural resource management outcomes and significant improvements on the natural resource front. People working on the stations have learnt new skills and should be justifiably proud of the work that they do. That is all now at risk because of the federal government’s decision. The sale of live cattle, particularly to the Indonesian market, was a substantial source of income for those pastoralists and the federal government’s decision will change their financial circumstances significantly. It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
It is interesting—the timing may not have been perfect for the federal government—that earlier this week a report called “Doing Time—Time for Doing” was tabled in federal Parliament. It was of particular interest to me because I also have the corrective services portfolio. One of the report’s findings was that Aboriginal juveniles and young adults were 28 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous people. The Aboriginal incarceration rate in Western Australia, unfortunately, is higher than anywhere else in the country. As the Minister for Corrective Services, I despair at those figures and we are doing whatever we can to try to address that. However, the reality is that we are at the end of a long chain of social disadvantage or dysfunction—things like poor housing, poor health and low participation rates in education and employment. Indigenous pastoral leases have been able to offer one very good example, a shining light, of addressing those issues where they need to be addressed by supporting training and employment at a level that works. Their recent history has been very successful and it is upsetting to me that having put in place a very successful program to support those Indigenous pastoral leases, their primary source of income has now been cut off at the knees. The knee-jerk decision that the federal government has made has left them in limbo. There has been no consideration of the people who are most affected by this decision and there was no consultation with Western Australia. Let us hope that the federal government will see the error of its ways very soon and get the trade started again.
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