DECLARED PEST RATE
151. Hon RICK MAZZA to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the money collected for
the declared pest rate.
(1) How much
money was collected in the 2017–18 financial year through the declared
pest rate under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to fund
recognised biosecurity groups?
(2) Of the amount
collected, how much was allocated to each of the recognised biosecurity groups
under the BAM act in the 2017–18 financial year?
(3) From funding
provided to each of the recognised biosecurity groups, how much was unspent by
each of the groups in the 2017–18 financial year?
(4) What happens to allocated
unspent funds?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
I warn the house that the answer is quite lengthy.
(1) In the 2017–18
financial year, $1 601 001.68 was collected from declared pest rates. This was
matched by state government funds.
(2)–(3) I
am just wondering, Madam President, whether it would be better if I incorporated
the answers to parts (2) and (3) because there is such a lengthy list of
biosecurity groups. I will answer part (4) separately. I seek leave to have the
responses to parts (2) and (3) incorporated into Hansard.
Leave granted.
The following material
was incorporated —
(2) In the 2017/18 financial year, the following
amounts were allocated to each Recognised Biosecurity Groups based on forecast
rates and matched funds from government:
�
Kimberley Rangelands Biosecurity
Association: $671,744
�
Pilbara Regional Biosecurity Group:
$396,284
�
Carnarvon Rangelands Biosecurity
Association: $289,863
�
Meekatharra Rangelands Biosecurity
Association: $417,632
�
Goldfields-Nullarbor Rangelands
Biosecurity Association: $291,693
�
Eastern Wheatbelt Biosecurity
Group: $174,457
�
Carnarvon Growers Association:
$120,291
(3) The total funds left unspent at the end of the
2017/18 financial year from the collected and matched funds for each Recognised
Biosecurity Group are:
�
Kimberley Rangelands Biosecurity
Association: $0
�
Pilbara Regional Biosecurity Group:
$0
�
Carnarvon Rangelands Biosecurity
Association: $224,584
�
Meekatharra Rangelands Biosecurity
Association: $16,382
�
Goldfields-Nullarbor Rangelands
Biosecurity Association: $0
�
Eastern Wheatbelt Biosecurity
Group: $4,733
�
Carnarvon Growers Association:
$46,897
I note
that the Carnarvon RBG had a large amount carried into the following financial
year, as the RBGs second payment invoice fell into the next financial year.
This was due a change in Executive Officer.
(4) The amount of
funds collected through the rate for each group is based upon the group's
operational plan. Each group presents invoices to the Department of Primary
Industries and Regional Development that reflects its plan and the forecast
rate amounts to be collected. Any reserve amounts are held in the declared pest account and are available to the group
through the director general for carrying out proposed operations.