❓ Mr. Blayney asks about agricultural development projects in the Kimberley, beyond the Ord River expansion. The Minister details projects in the East and West Kimberley, including soil surveys and water supply development, emphasizing collaboration with traditional owners and potential for an agricultural boom.
AnsweredQoN 202Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KIMBERLEY — AGRICULTUre DEVELOPMENT
202. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
Members of this house would be aware of the massive expansion
of the Ord River irrigation area being undertaken by the Liberal–National
government through funding from the royalties for regions program. Can the
minister please outline some of the other projects underway to further develop
agriculture in the Kimberley?
202. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the
Minister for Agriculture and Food:
Members of this house would be aware of the massive expansion
of the Ord River irrigation area being undertaken by the Liberal–National
government through funding from the royalties for regions program. Can the
minister please outline some of the other projects underway to further develop
agriculture in the Kimberley?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for
the question. I came back this morning from Broome where a two-day economic
forum was run by the Broome —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I
thought we might have got through some more questions today. We were going well.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
welcome what the Broome Chamber of Commerce has done in having an economic
forum. It is absolutely committed to the growth of the north and the
opportunities it presents. The quality of speakers there was outstanding. I had
a chance to talk yesterday with the locals and to respond to questions they had
about what the Liberal–National government is doing in the north of
Western Australia. I made the point that agriculture development is one of the
most significant opportunities the north has. We have seen the rollout of Ord stage 2 with $311 million of state
government funds allocated to expand the scheme. An extra 8 500 hectares have
been made available for purchase and we are now going through an expression of
interest process. It is really pleasing to see, as some would have seen written
in The Australian recently, the interest nationally and internationally
in what is happening in the Ord. That gives a really strong signal to
government that we need to take every opportunity we can to present agriculture
opportunities for business in the north.
An earlier study was done outside the Ord area. I think I
have talked to the house about it before. There are about another 52 000
hectares of potential agricultural land in Cockatoo Sands outside the Ord
Valley. Two or three weeks ago I announced an extra $1.3 million of royalties
for regions funds to prove up a soil survey of about 6 000 hectares of Cockatoo
Sands on top of the Ord stage 2 project. That was another significant
announcement for the expansion of that particular region. At the Broome forum
someone raised the point, ''Okay, that is happening in the East Kimberley;
what about the West Kimberley?'' I had a response for them. We have also announced $5.1 million of royalties for regions funds to go
into the La Grange area, which is about 150 kays south of Broome. There is
already a big aquifer there. We are looking at proving up the water supply and
developing the agriculture potential around that. We know that historically
some studies have been done in that area. We want to do the work now to
demonstrate that although only $10 million
of gross value agricultural production comes out of that West Kimberley
region, it has potential for significantly more area to be used for
agriculture. With the very good work that has been done by the Minister for
Regional Development around pasture diversification, we are addressing the soil
and water issues and getting some of the legislative constraints out of the
road so that the full potential of the Kimberley can be realised and developed. We are not doing it without the
support of the traditional owners of the area. There are very good examples in
the East Kimberley of working with the Miriuwung–Gajerrong people in
partnership to get good
significant economic outcomes for them .
The same applies to the West Kimberley. As we work through this process, we
will engage with the local traditional owners of that area.
I feel very confident about the agriculture opportunities in
the north. I know that the Premier does not like to use the word ''boom''
but when I look at the potential economic drivers for the Kimberley region, I
believe we are on the cusp of an agriculture boom in the north. The Liberal–National
government is laying out the foundations to show the potential of what can be
managed very, very carefully in conjunction with the traditional owners to
ensure that we have an economic
driver for generations to come.
the question. I came back this morning from Broome where a two-day economic
forum was run by the Broome —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I
thought we might have got through some more questions today. We were going well.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
welcome what the Broome Chamber of Commerce has done in having an economic
forum. It is absolutely committed to the growth of the north and the
opportunities it presents. The quality of speakers there was outstanding. I had
a chance to talk yesterday with the locals and to respond to questions they had
about what the Liberal–National government is doing in the north of
Western Australia. I made the point that agriculture development is one of the
most significant opportunities the north has. We have seen the rollout of Ord stage 2 with $311 million of state
government funds allocated to expand the scheme. An extra 8 500 hectares have
been made available for purchase and we are now going through an expression of
interest process. It is really pleasing to see, as some would have seen written
in The Australian recently, the interest nationally and internationally
in what is happening in the Ord. That gives a really strong signal to
government that we need to take every opportunity we can to present agriculture
opportunities for business in the north.
An earlier study was done outside the Ord area. I think I
have talked to the house about it before. There are about another 52 000
hectares of potential agricultural land in Cockatoo Sands outside the Ord
Valley. Two or three weeks ago I announced an extra $1.3 million of royalties
for regions funds to prove up a soil survey of about 6 000 hectares of Cockatoo
Sands on top of the Ord stage 2 project. That was another significant
announcement for the expansion of that particular region. At the Broome forum
someone raised the point, ''Okay, that is happening in the East Kimberley;
what about the West Kimberley?'' I had a response for them. We have also announced $5.1 million of royalties for regions funds to go
into the La Grange area, which is about 150 kays south of Broome. There is
already a big aquifer there. We are looking at proving up the water supply and
developing the agriculture potential around that. We know that historically
some studies have been done in that area. We want to do the work now to
demonstrate that although only $10 million
of gross value agricultural production comes out of that West Kimberley
region, it has potential for significantly more area to be used for
agriculture. With the very good work that has been done by the Minister for
Regional Development around pasture diversification, we are addressing the soil
and water issues and getting some of the legislative constraints out of the
road so that the full potential of the Kimberley can be realised and developed. We are not doing it without the
support of the traditional owners of the area. There are very good examples in
the East Kimberley of working with the Miriuwung–Gajerrong people in
partnership to get good
significant economic outcomes for them .
The same applies to the West Kimberley. As we work through this process, we
will engage with the local traditional owners of that area.
I feel very confident about the agriculture opportunities in
the north. I know that the Premier does not like to use the word ''boom''
but when I look at the potential economic drivers for the Kimberley region, I
believe we are on the cusp of an agriculture boom in the north. The Liberal–National
government is laying out the foundations to show the potential of what can be
managed very, very carefully in conjunction with the traditional owners to
ensure that we have an economic
driver for generations to come.
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