KALGOORLIE QUARANTINE AND
DECONTAMINATION FACILITY
877. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer to the Kalgoorlie quarantine
and decontamination facility.
(1) What food, ablution
and ancillary services are provided by the state government at the facility to
accommodate male and female truck drivers on site?
(2) If there are
no facilities, therefore meaning truck drivers are required to seek alternative
accommodation, would the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development take legal responsibility for the welfare of the livestock in
transit?
(3) Is the
minister satisfied that staff employed at the facility have the suitable
stock-handling accreditation and experience to undertake quarantine and
decontamination activities, as well as manage the safety and welfare of
livestock in their custody?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1) Male and
female ablution services are available to truck drivers at the South Boulder
quarantine yard. But, not surprisingly, there are no accommodation or food
services at the facility, as the provision for accommodation and food for truck
drivers is not part of departmental responsibility. However, DPIRD management
has recently become aware that some truck drivers have been sleeping in the
DPIRD staff administration block in the yards. Although we understand that that
may have been an unofficial arrangement with local DPIRD employees, the
department's management considers this is a health risk, especially
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, that arrangement is no longer in
place.
Many long-haul vehicles have built-in
cab accommodation and the facility is close to the Boulder town site where
other accommodation is available.
(2) The
transporter is responsible for the welfare of livestock that they are
transporting. Transporters should be arriving at the facilities during business
hours when the livestock can be unloaded, inspected and reloaded after the
truck has completed a wash down.
(3) I am advised
that the acting senior quarantine inspector is an authorised officer under the
Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 and has undertaken training for
handling stock animals.