❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding road train permits for farmers delivering grain, questioning the Minister's previous statement about no backlog and highlighting potential economic impacts due to access issues. The Minister acknowledges complaints but defends the permit process and denies a backlog.
AnsweredQoN 1603Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I again refer the Minister to her ABC radio interview of 20 April 2006 in which she stated that there was "no backlog in regard to inspecting local roads for farmers road train permits". As a period of five months has now passed, I ask the Minister the following –
(1) Has the Minister been approached in the month of October 2006, with serious complaints regarding farmers’ inability to access local rural roads with their "Heavy Vehicles" used for grain harvest delivery?
(2) Do these complaints include the fact that some farmers cannot leave their farm gate, or paddock, with their harvest?
(3) Do these complaints include the fact that some farmers cannot deliver their harvest to the nearest Co-operative Bulk Handling grain storage facility?
(4) Do these complaints come from one of the largest grain producing regions in the world?
(5) Do these complaints come from at least five Shires and their incorporated districts within this region?
(6) Is it true that a farmer's inability to expeditiously deliver his crop for sale may seriously impact on his farm's economic viability?
(7) Will this also have a serious negative impact on the State's –
(a) rural economy; and
(b) overall economy?
(8) Will the required road access be granted to these farmers immediately?
(9) Is the failure to release these permits due to the fact that the current condition of many rural roads will not allow the safe passage of farmers "Heavy Vehicles"?
(10) Can the Minister confirm that her radio statement of 20 April 2006 was and is correct?
(1) Has the Minister been approached in the month of October 2006, with serious complaints regarding farmers’ inability to access local rural roads with their "Heavy Vehicles" used for grain harvest delivery?
(2) Do these complaints include the fact that some farmers cannot leave their farm gate, or paddock, with their harvest?
(3) Do these complaints include the fact that some farmers cannot deliver their harvest to the nearest Co-operative Bulk Handling grain storage facility?
(4) Do these complaints come from one of the largest grain producing regions in the world?
(5) Do these complaints come from at least five Shires and their incorporated districts within this region?
(6) Is it true that a farmer's inability to expeditiously deliver his crop for sale may seriously impact on his farm's economic viability?
(7) Will this also have a serious negative impact on the State's –
(a) rural economy; and
(b) overall economy?
(8) Will the required road access be granted to these farmers immediately?
(9) Is the failure to release these permits due to the fact that the current condition of many rural roads will not allow the safe passage of farmers "Heavy Vehicles"?
(10) Can the Minister confirm that her radio statement of 20 April 2006 was and is correct?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
28 November 2006
Responded by
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
34 days
(b) overall economy?
(2) The complaints include an argument that farmers cannot leave their farm gate or paddock with their harvest, but this is not factual. Farmers have available to them the same legal methods of delivering grain that they have always had. That is, they can use "as of right" vehicles on any road, or they can use Restricted Access Vehicles (RAVs) where permitted. (3) Refer (2) above. (4) The majority of the complaints do emanate from the areas within the Wheatbelt. (5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(3) Refer (2) above. (4) The majority of the complaints do emanate from the areas within the Wheatbelt. (5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(4) The majority of the complaints do emanate from the areas within the Wheatbelt. (5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(2) The complaints include an argument that farmers cannot leave their farm gate or paddock with their harvest, but this is not factual. Farmers have available to them the same legal methods of delivering grain that they have always had. That is, they can use "as of right" vehicles on any road, or they can use Restricted Access Vehicles (RAVs) where permitted. (3) Refer (2) above. (4) The majority of the complaints do emanate from the areas within the Wheatbelt. (5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(3) Refer (2) above. (4) The majority of the complaints do emanate from the areas within the Wheatbelt. (5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(4) The majority of the complaints do emanate from the areas within the Wheatbelt. (5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(5) Yes. (6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(6-7) Refer (2) above. (8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(8) No. Each new route outside of the currently Class 2 & 3 permit network needs to be assessed to confirm its suitability before any RAVs access is granted. However, to address Local Governments' recent t requests to add a significant number of roads to the networks in preparation for the harvest, a modified assessment process has been implemented. (9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(9) No. "As of right" vehicles can travel on any road. RAVs, by definition, cannot travel on all roads. Access is dependant upon their design, construction and broader amenity issues. Many of the State's highest standard roads are still not opened to RAVs. (10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
(10) I confirm there was no backlog in April and there continues to be no backlog.
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