TOURISM —
WILDFLOWER FRIENDLINESS RATING SCHEME
1425. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the proposal by the
minister to establish a wildflower friendliness rating scheme for roadside
wildflower tourism experiences, which will be rated by the Wildflower Society
of Western Australia—WSWA.
(1) What consultation has been
undertaken with local government and road management agencies?
(2) What consideration has been
given to fire risk management?
(3) What amount of funding is
available through the scheme, and how will it been allocated?
(4) What level of
control will funded organisations such as WSWA have over management of road
verges?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the
question. The following information has been provided by the Minister for
Tourism.
(1) None. This is
an opportunity for local governments that are actively conserving wildflowers
on roadside verges to be promoted to
visitors of our state who seek out and enjoy driving along roads with
wildflowers.
(2) The
wildflower friendliness rating scheme does not preclude local governments from
undertaking fire risk management practices where required.
(3) No funding is
available. Local governments that achieve the required rating in the current
round of the wildflower friendliness rating scheme will receive exposure within
the wildflower promotion activities to be undertaken by Tourism Western Australia
in 2020.
(4) The
Wildflower Society of Western Australia receives no funding for its involvement
in the wildflower friendliness rating system. The society has no control over
the management of road verges.