❓ Question regarding the Liberal-National government's recognition of the Australian Year of the Farmer. The Minister details initiatives like free entry for children to agricultural shows and promoting the Royal Agricultural Society.
AnsweredQoN 543Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN YEAR OF THE FARMER
543. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
As most members in this house are aware, 2012 is the
Australian Year of the Farmer. Could the minister please advise what this
Liberal–National government is doing to recognise this important
occasion?
543. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
As most members in this house are aware, 2012 is the
Australian Year of the Farmer. Could the minister please advise what this
Liberal–National government is doing to recognise this important
occasion?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Swan Hills
for the question. He is very closely aligned to the Gidgegannup Agricultural
Society show, which is to be held on 27 October. I am sure he would love to see
members of this house attend his local show. He is strongly supportive of the
local show in that community. Importantly, this year is the Australian Year of
the Farmer. With that, it is incumbent upon us all, within the roles we play in
this chamber, to not only promote the good work of the Western Australian
farming community in growing and promoting good product both here and in the
international market, but also try to build and strengthen relationships
between those who live in the city and may not have occasion to visit farming
properties and those who live in the regions. We are trying to build an
understanding of the Western Australian farming community—what it does,
how it does it so well and the fact it is sometimes done under fairly
challenging circumstances.
One of the best venues for us to close that divide is the
Perth Royal Show. We work very closely with the Royal Agricultural Society of
WA to raise the profile of agriculture in the broader community. The society
has a range of initiatives. Some members of Parliament may well have seen some
volunteers from the agricultural society visit schools to talk to kids. Those
sorts of initiatives are fantastic to help bridge that gap. From the Department
of Agriculture and Food's perspective, the attention the agency puts on
the Royal Show makes it one of the biggest promotional exercises it has to
promote the benefits of the agricultural sector to the broader community,
particularly kids. This year, the Liberal–National government has
committed $2 million to provide free entry for children aged 12 and under to
the Perth Royal Show, including the 56 agricultural society–affiliated
shows in the regions, and many in the metropolitan area. This is a significant
step in the Australian Year of the Farmer towards supporting kids in Western
Australia—not only in the city, but also in regional Western Australia—to
attend an agricultural show to try to bridge that gap —
Mr
J.N. Hyde : Is any minister going?
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I am certainly going to the agricultural show; absolutely.
Mr
J.N. Hyde : Are you going to the opening on Sunday night?
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : No, I will not be at the opening, but I am certainly going to
the agricultural show. I do not think the member will sell short the role I
have played with the agricultural society and the link to that. Is the member
suggesting I am not playing a strong role?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I just
want to hear the answer. Member for Perth, I do not want to hear any further
interjections.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : In
2011, as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting affected one of the days
of the Royal Agricultural Show, we supported free entry for children as some
level of acknowledgement that the show would take a bit of a hit in attendance.
Last year, with that support, over 200 000 kids attended agricultural shows
right across Western Australia. This year, we expect a 15 per cent increase in
the number of kids attending, with the support we are giving to kids aged 12
and under to attend all shows affiliated with the Royal Agricultural Society. I
think that is a fantastic outcome. It is strong acknowledgement in the
Australian Year of the Farmer of the importance of the role we all should play
to broker the gap between those who do and those who do not get a chance to
visit farms, and to understand where our food comes from.
As members will be aware, there is a Royal Agricultural
Society function at Parliament House starting at 5.30 pm this afternoon to
acknowledge the society's role in this year's Perth Royal Show.
I encourage members to attend. Some award-winning wines and beer will be
available, plus a range of foods to taste, all from fantastic Western
Australian producers. I strongly support members attending that function this
afternoon. Of course, do not drink too much—there is still business to
be done in the house tonight. The role that we can all play in this chamber to
support what farmers do in Western Australia is really important. This is the
Australian Year of the Farmer; I think we have supported it appropriately.
for the question. He is very closely aligned to the Gidgegannup Agricultural
Society show, which is to be held on 27 October. I am sure he would love to see
members of this house attend his local show. He is strongly supportive of the
local show in that community. Importantly, this year is the Australian Year of
the Farmer. With that, it is incumbent upon us all, within the roles we play in
this chamber, to not only promote the good work of the Western Australian
farming community in growing and promoting good product both here and in the
international market, but also try to build and strengthen relationships
between those who live in the city and may not have occasion to visit farming
properties and those who live in the regions. We are trying to build an
understanding of the Western Australian farming community—what it does,
how it does it so well and the fact it is sometimes done under fairly
challenging circumstances.
One of the best venues for us to close that divide is the
Perth Royal Show. We work very closely with the Royal Agricultural Society of
WA to raise the profile of agriculture in the broader community. The society
has a range of initiatives. Some members of Parliament may well have seen some
volunteers from the agricultural society visit schools to talk to kids. Those
sorts of initiatives are fantastic to help bridge that gap. From the Department
of Agriculture and Food's perspective, the attention the agency puts on
the Royal Show makes it one of the biggest promotional exercises it has to
promote the benefits of the agricultural sector to the broader community,
particularly kids. This year, the Liberal–National government has
committed $2 million to provide free entry for children aged 12 and under to
the Perth Royal Show, including the 56 agricultural society–affiliated
shows in the regions, and many in the metropolitan area. This is a significant
step in the Australian Year of the Farmer towards supporting kids in Western
Australia—not only in the city, but also in regional Western Australia—to
attend an agricultural show to try to bridge that gap —
Mr
J.N. Hyde : Is any minister going?
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I am certainly going to the agricultural show; absolutely.
Mr
J.N. Hyde : Are you going to the opening on Sunday night?
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : No, I will not be at the opening, but I am certainly going to
the agricultural show. I do not think the member will sell short the role I
have played with the agricultural society and the link to that. Is the member
suggesting I am not playing a strong role?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I just
want to hear the answer. Member for Perth, I do not want to hear any further
interjections.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : In
2011, as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting affected one of the days
of the Royal Agricultural Show, we supported free entry for children as some
level of acknowledgement that the show would take a bit of a hit in attendance.
Last year, with that support, over 200 000 kids attended agricultural shows
right across Western Australia. This year, we expect a 15 per cent increase in
the number of kids attending, with the support we are giving to kids aged 12
and under to attend all shows affiliated with the Royal Agricultural Society. I
think that is a fantastic outcome. It is strong acknowledgement in the
Australian Year of the Farmer of the importance of the role we all should play
to broker the gap between those who do and those who do not get a chance to
visit farms, and to understand where our food comes from.
As members will be aware, there is a Royal Agricultural
Society function at Parliament House starting at 5.30 pm this afternoon to
acknowledge the society's role in this year's Perth Royal Show.
I encourage members to attend. Some award-winning wines and beer will be
available, plus a range of foods to taste, all from fantastic Western
Australian producers. I strongly support members attending that function this
afternoon. Of course, do not drink too much—there is still business to
be done in the house tonight. The role that we can all play in this chamber to
support what farmers do in Western Australia is really important. This is the
Australian Year of the Farmer; I think we have supported it appropriately.
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