❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses rangeland condition monitoring, data reporting by pastoral lessees, lease renewal guidelines, and diversification permits for tourism on pastoral leases. The answer provides data on lessee reporting, monitoring methods, lease renewal procedures, and clarifies regulations regarding tourism activities.
AnsweredQoN 1273Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Up until 31 December 2009 Rangeland Condition Monitoring (RCM) was undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) for the Pastoral Land Board (PLB) by onsite inspections. This system has ceased. The new RCM system requires pastoral lessees to monitor the Rangeland Condition and report annually to the PLB via an online portal called ARCADIA managed by DAFWA. All RCM sites must be installed and baseline data collected by the Department for Lands by 2015. I ask: (a) how many lessees have reported data during the period 31 December 2009 to 31 December 2013; (b) although mandatory reporting does not come into effect until 2016, how has Department for Lands and/or PLB monitored the 452 stations since 31 December 2009; (c) what guidelines will be used in determining whether a pastoral lease is renewed, and what constitutes a viable property, for example carrying capacity, soil, and vegetation condition; and (d) where it can be established that minimal pastoral activity is being undertaken, and by the use of a diversification permit income is realised by camping fees, should the pastoralist be subject to appropriate caravan park operator rates?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 August 2014
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Lands
Response time
56 days
(a) 56
(b) The Department of Lands (DoL) and the Pastoral Lands Board have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Agriculture Food Western Australia (DAFWA). As part of this MoU, DAFWA have continued to conduct a program of on-ground inspections of rangeland condition on individual leases.
(c) The procedures for renewing pastoral leases in 2015 are detailed in Section 98 (11) of the previous
Land Act 1933
. Early on in this process, 18 small leases in the South-West Land Division were identified as being no longer appropriate for pastoral purposes due to their size and location. Four additional leases were identified as being required for conservation or national park purposes. All 22 of these leases were not offered renewal, and were informed of their non-renewal status by letter from the then Minister for Lands in November and December 1990.
All of the remaining leases were offered renewal of their lease by former Minister for Lands Doug Shave in 1997 subject to five conditions pertaining to compliance with their lease conditions and statutory requirements.
(d) DoL has advised that it is not aware of any such situations. In any case, the issue of caravan park operator fees is not relevant to the type tourism activities permitted under Section 121 of the
Land Administration Act 1997
(LAA), which must be pastoral-based. Permit holders are charged a rent determined by the Valuer-General under Section 124 of the LAA.
(b) The Department of Lands (DoL) and the Pastoral Lands Board have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Agriculture Food Western Australia (DAFWA). As part of this MoU, DAFWA have continued to conduct a program of on-ground inspections of rangeland condition on individual leases.
(c) The procedures for renewing pastoral leases in 2015 are detailed in Section 98 (11) of the previous
Land Act 1933
. Early on in this process, 18 small leases in the South-West Land Division were identified as being no longer appropriate for pastoral purposes due to their size and location. Four additional leases were identified as being required for conservation or national park purposes. All 22 of these leases were not offered renewal, and were informed of their non-renewal status by letter from the then Minister for Lands in November and December 1990.
All of the remaining leases were offered renewal of their lease by former Minister for Lands Doug Shave in 1997 subject to five conditions pertaining to compliance with their lease conditions and statutory requirements.
(d) DoL has advised that it is not aware of any such situations. In any case, the issue of caravan park operator fees is not relevant to the type tourism activities permitted under Section 121 of the
Land Administration Act 1997
(LAA), which must be pastoral-based. Permit holders are charged a rent determined by the Valuer-General under Section 124 of the LAA.
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