❓ Mr Rundle questions the Premier on the perceived centralisation of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, suggesting it demonstrates a failure to understand agriculture and regional development. The Premier defends the government's record, highlighting increased funding and initiatives.
AnsweredQoN 631Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT —DECENTRALISATION
631. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Premier, is this just
another example of the government's failure to understand agriculture
and regional development?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members to my right!
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : At the same time as he announced Work and Wander
Out Yonder, he has centralised agriculture department employees into the
CBD.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my right! Minister for Mines
and Petroleum, I call you to order for the first time.
DEVELOPMENT —DECENTRALISATION
631. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Premier, is this just
another example of the government's failure to understand agriculture
and regional development?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members to my right!
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : At the same time as he announced Work and Wander
Out Yonder, he has centralised agriculture department employees into the
CBD.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my right! Minister for Mines
and Petroleum, I call you to order for the first time.
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker, I am going to answer this question; I am not
going to read it. As I presciently predicted, the member was going to read the
supplementary question, no matter what I said.
This government has a great record on agriculture. We
backfilled the funding to the department of agriculture that was cut by the
previous government.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood, I call
you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : What we knew and what was exposed many
times was that when the cuts came under the previous
government, the one agency that always had cuts was agriculture, so we
backfilled the funding there. A couple of weeks ago, I announced a major
upgrade to Muresk. It was never done by members opposite. From memory, there is
around $10 million for Muresk.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the National Party, if you want
to ask a question, ask it. Do not sit there and answer everyone else's
questions. I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : We had to upgrade Muresk. We have made
a bunch of courses in agriculture more affordable for students, particularly in
the current environment, and we announced that as part of our recovery plan.
One of the programs I remember is the grains research program that Alannah
MacTiernan fought so hard for. There is $40 million
to ensure that our grains research is cutting edge and therefore farmers can
cope with the situation that confronts us with declining rainfall. They
are three major things that were never done by members opposite. In fact, they made the situation worse when they were
in office. Thank goodness we have Alannah MacTiernan, who is a fighter,
who will stand up for agriculture and farmers, and who can say something
without reading it. Thank God we have Alannah MacTiernan out there standing up
for agriculture and regional communities across Western Australia.
going to read it. As I presciently predicted, the member was going to read the
supplementary question, no matter what I said.
This government has a great record on agriculture. We
backfilled the funding to the department of agriculture that was cut by the
previous government.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood, I call
you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : What we knew and what was exposed many
times was that when the cuts came under the previous
government, the one agency that always had cuts was agriculture, so we
backfilled the funding there. A couple of weeks ago, I announced a major
upgrade to Muresk. It was never done by members opposite. From memory, there is
around $10 million for Muresk.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the National Party, if you want
to ask a question, ask it. Do not sit there and answer everyone else's
questions. I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : We had to upgrade Muresk. We have made
a bunch of courses in agriculture more affordable for students, particularly in
the current environment, and we announced that as part of our recovery plan.
One of the programs I remember is the grains research program that Alannah
MacTiernan fought so hard for. There is $40 million
to ensure that our grains research is cutting edge and therefore farmers can
cope with the situation that confronts us with declining rainfall. They
are three major things that were never done by members opposite. In fact, they made the situation worse when they were
in office. Thank goodness we have Alannah MacTiernan, who is a fighter,
who will stand up for agriculture and farmers, and who can say something
without reading it. Thank God we have Alannah MacTiernan out there standing up
for agriculture and regional communities across Western Australia.
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