AGRICULTURE — PRIMED PROJECT
556. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
I refer to the joint ministerial press statement titled ''Education
initiative to raise primary industries profile'' and the statement —
The McGowan Government will invest
$5 million over five years in PRIMED, and is now looking to partner with
industry to take this innovative project forward.
(1) Will the minister provide a breakdown of how the $5 million
will be allocated?
(2) Is the government expecting industry to match the
$5 million investment in order for the program to proceed?
(3) Will the
minister table the two-page pamphlet that has been distributed to industry,
which details sponsorship benefits?
(4) Will the minister provide more detail on the program to
be delivered?
(5) Who will deliver the program to students?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN
replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(5)
This fantastic project has been a collaboration between the Minister for
Education and Training and me, and our respective agencies, to deal with this
issue of agricultural education. At this point we have developed a prospectus.
Once we have seen the results of that prospectus and the investment that will
be forthcoming from the private sector, we will complete the business case. We
are not expecting the private sector to necessarily match this funding in order
for us to proceed. However, we do ask the private sector to have some skin in
the game and we think that that is very reasonable. I have to say that a great
deal of interest was expressed at the launch event the other day. I have with
me a copy of the prospectus, which I will table.
Hon Donna Faragher: Are you answering any of my
questions, though?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: I am answering them all. I am
explaining in a general sense that we have —
Several members interjected.
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: I am sorry, I do not
necessarily have to read. That is probably a bit —
Hon Donna Faragher: Will the minister provide a breakdown
of how it will be allocated?
The PRESIDENT: Order!
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: We are —
Hon Sue Ellery interjected.
Hon Donna Faragher: I have given notice.
The PRESIDENT: Order!
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: I am giving an answer that I believe
answers the member's question. We have a prospectus. When we see what
the buy-in is from the private sector, we will be in a position to make
detailed commitments about what the money is to be spent on. Obviously, we need
to know what the size of the pie is going to be and the areas of interest from
the private sector before we determine the exact composition of that program.
[See paper 2744.]