❓ Mr. Tinley questions the Minister for Lands about delays to rangelands reforms, specifically asking about disagreements with Liberal alliance partners. The Minister avoids directly answering the question, instead blaming the Pastoralists and Graziers Association for blocking previous reform attempts.
AnsweredQoN 565Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RANGELANDS REFORMS
565. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the Minister for
Lands:
I refer to the minister's
long-awaited and much talked about rangelands reforms.
(1) Could the
minister outline what differences exist with his Liberal alliance partners that
are delaying these reforms?
(2) When does the minister expect to
introduce these reforms to Parliament?
565. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the Minister for
Lands:
I refer to the minister's
long-awaited and much talked about rangelands reforms.
(1) Could the
minister outline what differences exist with his Liberal alliance partners that
are delaying these reforms?
(2) When does the minister expect to
introduce these reforms to Parliament?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Willagee for the question. As members know, I have
advocated to institute changes to the Land Administration Act as it applies to
the rangelands that make up about 87 per cent of the state's land mass.
The pastoral estates make up about one-third of that at about 34 per cent—something
like that. A range of changes has been proposed and they have been through
quite a consultation process. We have engaged with all the stakeholders
including pastoralists, native title holders, the mining sector, the
conservation sector, the tourism sector and all those who want to engage in
opportunities that this change will institute. By way of background, this has
occurred on two other occasions. When Yvonne
Henderson was the lands minister in the mid to late–1980s, she
tried to institute those reforms. Prior to federal native title changes, those
reforms were blocked by the Pastoralists and Graziers Association. At its
request, she pulled those changes. I think that Hon Alannah MacTiernan did the
same thing in about 2007. Again, the PGA blocked the changes. I have been
pretty strong in my views that the PGA has once again blocked opportunities by
making it a showstopper if I were to get rid of the Pastoral Lands Board and shift
its powers to the Minister for Lands. In my view, that would be entirely
appropriate and I put some concessions into the changes I put forward regarding
the appeals process that pastoralists could have had against potential adverse
decisions from ministers. Once again, the Pastoralists and Graziers Association
has exercised its influence. It put a level of uncertainty out there and made
it difficult for backbenchers to support the changes. Therefore the challenge —
Point of Order
Mr P.C. TINLEY : With the
greatest respect to the minister's attempt to answer the question, I was
very specific in my first question that he should outline the differences that
exist between him and his alliance partners.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr
P.C. TINLEY : He seems to have failed to address the actual question.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr
M.P. Murray : Remember that song, We
Are Family !
The SPEAKER : Right, sit down —
Mr
D.T. Redman : Mr Speaker, I would like to hear the second verse!
The
SPEAKER : Thank you—minister.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : Everyone in this place knows that changes to legislation by
the government have to go through cabinet. I am not going to talk about the
cabinet process, but I have made very public my views that the Pastoralists and
Graziers Association, for whatever reason, has been quite averse to the changes
put forward. A range of opportunities, including better tenure outcomes, were
offered. When I attended a number of those forums, and presented myself, many
pastoralists came to me and said that I should not for a minute think that the
view of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association represented their own view.
The Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association was another group I engaged
with that was supportive of many of the changes put forward—not all of
them, but I do not think that anyone gets 10 out of 10 for legislative changes.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to progress this in a timely way. If there
is a good outcome for the Liberal–National government in March next
year, I will make every effort to put it back on the table.
thank the member for Willagee for the question. As members know, I have
advocated to institute changes to the Land Administration Act as it applies to
the rangelands that make up about 87 per cent of the state's land mass.
The pastoral estates make up about one-third of that at about 34 per cent—something
like that. A range of changes has been proposed and they have been through
quite a consultation process. We have engaged with all the stakeholders
including pastoralists, native title holders, the mining sector, the
conservation sector, the tourism sector and all those who want to engage in
opportunities that this change will institute. By way of background, this has
occurred on two other occasions. When Yvonne
Henderson was the lands minister in the mid to late–1980s, she
tried to institute those reforms. Prior to federal native title changes, those
reforms were blocked by the Pastoralists and Graziers Association. At its
request, she pulled those changes. I think that Hon Alannah MacTiernan did the
same thing in about 2007. Again, the PGA blocked the changes. I have been
pretty strong in my views that the PGA has once again blocked opportunities by
making it a showstopper if I were to get rid of the Pastoral Lands Board and shift
its powers to the Minister for Lands. In my view, that would be entirely
appropriate and I put some concessions into the changes I put forward regarding
the appeals process that pastoralists could have had against potential adverse
decisions from ministers. Once again, the Pastoralists and Graziers Association
has exercised its influence. It put a level of uncertainty out there and made
it difficult for backbenchers to support the changes. Therefore the challenge —
Point of Order
Mr P.C. TINLEY : With the
greatest respect to the minister's attempt to answer the question, I was
very specific in my first question that he should outline the differences that
exist between him and his alliance partners.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr
P.C. TINLEY : He seems to have failed to address the actual question.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr
M.P. Murray : Remember that song, We
Are Family !
The SPEAKER : Right, sit down —
Mr
D.T. Redman : Mr Speaker, I would like to hear the second verse!
The
SPEAKER : Thank you—minister.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : Everyone in this place knows that changes to legislation by
the government have to go through cabinet. I am not going to talk about the
cabinet process, but I have made very public my views that the Pastoralists and
Graziers Association, for whatever reason, has been quite averse to the changes
put forward. A range of opportunities, including better tenure outcomes, were
offered. When I attended a number of those forums, and presented myself, many
pastoralists came to me and said that I should not for a minute think that the
view of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association represented their own view.
The Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association was another group I engaged
with that was supportive of many of the changes put forward—not all of
them, but I do not think that anyone gets 10 out of 10 for legislative changes.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to progress this in a timely way. If there
is a good outcome for the Liberal–National government in March next
year, I will make every effort to put it back on the table.
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