INDIGENOUS RANGER PROGRAM
225. Hon SIMON O'BRIEN to the Minister for
Environment:
I refer to this afternoon's
media release, which is headed ''State Government welcomes indigenous
ranger pledge'', the key points of which are —
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A Shorten Labor government will expand the indigenous ranger
program and indigenous protected areas in WA
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Commitment means more than 1,550 FTE ranger jobs across Australia
That is not across Western Australia,
but across Australia.
(1) Did the minister approve this
media release and its contents?
(2) Does the
minister and his jetsetting, holiday-tripping, slumber-partying colleagues from
the Premier down actually believe that the resources of government—in
this case the government media office—are there for him to misuse as he
sees fit; and are we going to see more of this?
Hon Sue Ellery: You've
just broken the standing orders because you've just asked him for an
opinion.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT: All right. Minister, thank you for your assistance
there. The Minister for Environment has the call.
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank Hon Simon O'Brien
for the question. I am very pleased to show my support for the Shorten
government's commitment today to expand the Indigenous ranger program
across the country. This is a fantastic program and will work in very closely
with our state-run Aboriginal ranger program.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT: Order!
Member, you have asked a question, and if you want to hear the response, I encourage
you to listen quietly and actively and you might get a response. It does not
help Hansard when people are yelling across the chamber.
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON: I am very happy to show my support for the Shorten
Labor opposition's announcement today that it will expand the
Indigenous ranger program across the country. This will be of great benefit to Western
Australia. Members in this place would know that we went to the last election
with a commitment to expand or create an Aboriginal ranger program in Western Australia.
In round one of that program we created about 85 jobs and 80 training
positions. The second round of that fund closed last Friday. We received $40 million
worth of applications and we are working through them at the moment.
In relation to the specific
questions asked by Hon Simon O'Brien —
(1) Yes.
(2) It is preposterous.
Hon Simon O'Brien interjected.
The PRESIDENT: Are we done?
One of your colleagues might like to ask a question.