DECLARED PEST RATE
196. Hon RICK MAZZA to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to my question without
notice 151 asked on 13 March regarding money collected for the declared pest
rate.
(1) Considering
there are 14 recognised biosecurity groups in Western Australia, why did the
minister not include the following seven
groups in her response to that question: Blackwood Biosecurity Inc, Central Wheatbelt
Biosecurity Association, Esperance Biosecurity Association, Leschenault
Biosecurity Group, Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group, Northern Biosecurity Group,
and Southern Biosecurity Group?
(2) For each of the groups listed in
(1), can the minister provide the following information —
(a) the years when each group became
a recognised biosecurity group;
(b) how much
money has been allocated through the declared pest rate for each group in the
last five years, with a yearly breakdown;
(c) how much
money, including matched funds from government, was allocated to each group in
the last five years, with a yearly breakdown; and
(d) the years when each group
undertook declared pest activities and provided a report?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1) I point out
that the member's previous question on 13 March sought information on
funds collected in the 2017–18 financial year. The seven groups the
member listed in his question today did not request that a rate be determined
in that year.
(2) (a) Blackwood
Biosecurity, Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association, Esperance Biosecurity
Association, Leschenault Biosecurity Group, Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group and
Southern Biosecurity Group became recognised biosecurity groups in 2017.
Northern Biosecurity Group became a recognised biosecurity group in 2018.
(b) No rate
has been determined for the Leschenault and Northern Biosecurity Groups. As of
December 2018, Blackwood Biosecurity Group has collected $58 705; Central
Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association, $66 792; Esperance Biosecurity Association,
$67 065; Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group, $120 085; and Southern Biosecurity
Group, $56 331.
(c) The total
amount disbursed to each group up to December 2018 is: Blackwood Biosecurity,
$140 000; Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association, $106 945; Esperance
Biosecurity Association, $116 625; Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group, $179 594; and
Southern Biosecurity Group, $85 100.
(d) The current
financial year is the first year that five of these groups have received funds
from the declared pest account. They have not yet completed the year's
operational activity and are yet to provide reports.