According to Government media statements, $220 million dollars are to be spent over the next four years to expand the Ord River irrigation area from 14 000 ha to 28 000 ha, an increase of 14 000ha. I

AnsweredQoN 1150Legislative Council
Asked
18 August 2009
Portfolio
Agriculture and Food

QuestionView source ↗

According to Government media statements, $220 million dollars are to be spent over the next four years to expand the Ord River irrigation area from 14 000 ha to 28 000 ha, an increase of 14 000ha. I note the Minister’s answer to a question without notice (of which some notice was given) No. 493 from Hon Paul Llewellyn on 14 May 2009, and I ask -
(1) Has the Government conducted any cost-benefit studies which demonstrate that spending $220 million on a small increase in irrigated farmland in the Ord is of greater benefit to Western Australia than spending the same amount on other approaches to providing long-term social and economic benefits to the people in the Kimberley, especially its Indigenous population?
(2) If any cost-benefit studies have been done, will the Minister table them?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) If no cost-benefit studies have been done, how can the public of Western Australia be assured that large sums of taxpayers’ money are not spent on a push for a particular form of northern development at the cost of other programmes that may provide more jobs and/or more community benefits for the region?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
15 September 2009
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food
Response time
28 days
(1) The Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project comprises of numerous integrated projects that when combined will deliver sustainable economic growth and generate employment opportunities in the East Kimberley Region. The Direct benefits to the East Kimberley will be delivered in the following themes:
· Agriculture Development
· Water, road and other infrastructure
· Education and Training
· Health and housing
· Indigenous Economic Development
A full examination of the budgetary impacts was undertaken using (a) the MONASH Multi-Regional Forecasting Model (MMRF), a computable general equilibrium model and (b) supplementary analysis for changes in welfare payments and the costs of providing social, health and justice services.
(2-4) Not applicable
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