❓ A parliamentary question addresses the protection of prime agricultural land in the Margaret River region from coal and gas industries, seeking clarification on the Minister's role and actions.
AnsweredQoN 1001Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MARGARET RIVER AREA — PROTECTION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND
With regard to protecting prime agricultural land in the Margaret River region from the coal and gas industries and recent changes to the electoral boundaries — (1) Did the minister state the following, as reported in the Augusta – Margaret River Times on Friday 14 October 2011? According to my notes, he stated — As the national and international focus on food security gains momentum, there is a need to re-assess how we manage such land use conflict … Clearly, there are a number of examples around the state of competing interests and clashes between agriculture and other sectors, whether that might be mining or other land uses … If I remain as agriculture minister after the next election, then I have little doubt that I will have significant input into any such discussions and the resultant government policy. (2) If yes to (1), as the minister is currently the Minister for Agriculture and Food, what is preventing him from having a significant input into discussions and policy now? (3) Does the minister share community concerns about the impact of coal and gas extraction on prime agricultural land? (4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
With regard to protecting prime agricultural land in the Margaret River region from the coal and gas industries and recent changes to the electoral boundaries — (1) Did the minister state the following, as reported in the Augusta – Margaret River Times on Friday 14 October 2011? According to my notes, he stated — As the national and international focus on food security gains momentum, there is a need to re-assess how we manage such land use conflict … Clearly, there are a number of examples around the state of competing interests and clashes between agriculture and other sectors, whether that might be mining or other land uses … If I remain as agriculture minister after the next election, then I have little doubt that I will have significant input into any such discussions and the resultant government policy. (2) If yes to (1), as the minister is currently the Minister for Agriculture and Food, what is preventing him from having a significant input into discussions and policy now? (3) Does the minister share community concerns about the impact of coal and gas extraction on prime agricultural land? (4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(1) Did the minister state the following, as reported in the Augusta – Margaret River Times on Friday 14 October 2011? According to my notes, he stated — As the national and international focus on food security gains momentum, there is a need to re-assess how we manage such land use conflict … Clearly, there are a number of examples around the state of competing interests and clashes between agriculture and other sectors, whether that might be mining or other land uses … If I remain as agriculture minister after the next election, then I have little doubt that I will have significant input into any such discussions and the resultant government policy. (2) If yes to (1), as the minister is currently the Minister for Agriculture and Food, what is preventing him from having a significant input into discussions and policy now? (3) Does the minister share community concerns about the impact of coal and gas extraction on prime agricultural land? (4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(3) Does the minister share community concerns about the impact of coal and gas extraction on prime agricultural land? (4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(5) Not applicable.
(1) Did the minister state the following, as reported in the Augusta – Margaret River Times on Friday 14 October 2011? According to my notes, he stated — As the national and international focus on food security gains momentum, there is a need to re-assess how we manage such land use conflict … Clearly, there are a number of examples around the state of competing interests and clashes between agriculture and other sectors, whether that might be mining or other land uses … If I remain as agriculture minister after the next election, then I have little doubt that I will have significant input into any such discussions and the resultant government policy. (2) If yes to (1), as the minister is currently the Minister for Agriculture and Food, what is preventing him from having a significant input into discussions and policy now? (3) Does the minister share community concerns about the impact of coal and gas extraction on prime agricultural land? (4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(3) Does the minister share community concerns about the impact of coal and gas extraction on prime agricultural land? (4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(4) Will the minister act to protect the prime agricultural land in the Margaret River Region? (5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(5) If no to (4), why not? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Minister for Agriculture and Food has provided the following response — (1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(1) Yes. (2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(2) The member has misinterpreted the comments. I currently have carriage, but not sole carriage, of issues relating to agricultural land use and, if I am re-elected and reappointed as Minister for Agriculture and Food, I will continue to have significant input into any such discussions and will continue to work with my cabinet colleagues on this and other issues. (3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(3) Yes. (4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(4) The government is considering various options for the Margaret River region to ensure effective decision-making frameworks are in place. (5) Not applicable.
(5) Not applicable.
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