❓ Mr. Blayney asks about the government's plan to mitigate potential locust plagues. Mr. Redman outlines a two-pronged approach: targeted spraying and providing technical information to farmers.
AnsweredQoN 657Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCUST PLAGUES
As we have seen in the past, locust plagues can cause significant damage in the grain growing areas of the state. Can the minister inform the house what the government is doing to reduce the impact of locusts should a locust plague occur this spring? Mr D.T. REDMAN
As we have seen in the past, locust plagues can cause significant damage in the grain growing areas of the state. Can the minister inform the house what the government is doing to reduce the impact of locusts should a locust plague occur this spring? Mr D.T. REDMAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question, and also for his support on a range of fronts. I have been to the member’s area on a couple of occasions for some recent field days. It is certainly good to see the member’s profile in that area and also his interest in the agricultural industry. As the member quite rightly points out in his question, there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur this coming season. Some members may have experienced what it is like to be in a regional area when there is a locust plague. Over the past 10 years there have been five significant locust plagues. Locust plagues do not affect only the agricultural industry. They also affect communities, right down to things such as sporting clubs. In my own town of Mt Barker, they had to shut down a race day because of a locust plague. In some cases they have also affected schools. Locust plagues have a significant impact on regional communities and on the agricultural industry. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for his question, and also for his support on a range of fronts. I have been to the member’s area on a couple of occasions for some recent field days. It is certainly good to see the member’s profile in that area and also his interest in the agricultural industry. As the member quite rightly points out in his question, there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur this coming season. Some members may have experienced what it is like to be in a regional area when there is a locust plague. Over the past 10 years there have been five significant locust plagues. Locust plagues do not affect only the agricultural industry. They also affect communities, right down to things such as sporting clubs. In my own town of Mt Barker, they had to shut down a race day because of a locust plague. In some cases they have also affected schools. Locust plagues have a significant impact on regional communities and on the agricultural industry. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question, and also for his support on a range of fronts. I have been to the member’s area on a couple of occasions for some recent field days. It is certainly good to see the member’s profile in that area and also his interest in the agricultural industry. As the member quite rightly points out in his question, there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur this coming season. Some members may have experienced what it is like to be in a regional area when there is a locust plague. Over the past 10 years there have been five significant locust plagues. Locust plagues do not affect only the agricultural industry. They also affect communities, right down to things such as sporting clubs. In my own town of Mt Barker, they had to shut down a race day because of a locust plague. In some cases they have also affected schools. Locust plagues have a significant impact on regional communities and on the agricultural industry. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
As the member quite rightly points out in his question, there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur this coming season. Some members may have experienced what it is like to be in a regional area when there is a locust plague. Over the past 10 years there have been five significant locust plagues. Locust plagues do not affect only the agricultural industry. They also affect communities, right down to things such as sporting clubs. In my own town of Mt Barker, they had to shut down a race day because of a locust plague. In some cases they have also affected schools. Locust plagues have a significant impact on regional communities and on the agricultural industry. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for his question, and also for his support on a range of fronts. I have been to the member’s area on a couple of occasions for some recent field days. It is certainly good to see the member’s profile in that area and also his interest in the agricultural industry. As the member quite rightly points out in his question, there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur this coming season. Some members may have experienced what it is like to be in a regional area when there is a locust plague. Over the past 10 years there have been five significant locust plagues. Locust plagues do not affect only the agricultural industry. They also affect communities, right down to things such as sporting clubs. In my own town of Mt Barker, they had to shut down a race day because of a locust plague. In some cases they have also affected schools. Locust plagues have a significant impact on regional communities and on the agricultural industry. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question, and also for his support on a range of fronts. I have been to the member’s area on a couple of occasions for some recent field days. It is certainly good to see the member’s profile in that area and also his interest in the agricultural industry. As the member quite rightly points out in his question, there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur this coming season. Some members may have experienced what it is like to be in a regional area when there is a locust plague. Over the past 10 years there have been five significant locust plagues. Locust plagues do not affect only the agricultural industry. They also affect communities, right down to things such as sporting clubs. In my own town of Mt Barker, they had to shut down a race day because of a locust plague. In some cases they have also affected schools. Locust plagues have a significant impact on regional communities and on the agricultural industry. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
As the member quite rightly points out in his question, there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur this coming season. Some members may have experienced what it is like to be in a regional area when there is a locust plague. Over the past 10 years there have been five significant locust plagues. Locust plagues do not affect only the agricultural industry. They also affect communities, right down to things such as sporting clubs. In my own town of Mt Barker, they had to shut down a race day because of a locust plague. In some cases they have also affected schools. Locust plagues have a significant impact on regional communities and on the agricultural industry. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
The Department of Agriculture and Food has been doing some monitoring to assess the likelihood that locust plagues will occur this coming spring. Those studies have shown that in certain hotspots around the state there is a high risk that locust plagues will occur. That is certainly not something that the farming community wants. What the farmers want—particularly on the back of the good season they have had—is to have their crops yield their full potential and not be impacted upon by a locust plague. The government, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, is taking a two-pronged approach to this problem. In the first instance, we have put $2.6 million towards a targeted spraying program in those areas that have been identified as hotspots. That is a very high impact and strategic approach, because by spraying about four per cent of the target area it is possible to control about 70 per cent of the potential locusts. Secondly, we are responding by making sure that technical and up-to-date information is available to farmers so that they are able to respond to the problem on their own farms and ensure that a significant issue does not develop, from both agricultural and community perspectives. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, there are other ways of making your point. This is not the way on this occasion. I formally call you for the first time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : On Sunday — Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie-Preston, I formally call you for the second time. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I know that a lot of people were celebrating Fathers Day on Sunday, but many people in the agricultural community were also celebrating the first anniversary of the lifting of shackles from agriculture in Western Australia. This government stands on its record. We are moving forward and supporting the industry.
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