PASTORAL LEASES —
RENT —AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE COMMISSION AMENDMENT BILL 2019
891. Hon AARON STONEHOUSE to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer the minister to the recently
introduced Agricultural Produce Commission Amendment Bill 2019 and to the
concession by the Minister for Lands, in answer to question without notice 883
asked in the chamber yesterday, that some leases in the Kimberley have already
risen by as much as 360 per cent under this government.
(1) What
correspondence, if any, has the minister's office received from
industry in opposition to the additional imposition of producers'
committees upon the broadacre sector of the state's agricultural
industry, from whom, and on what date?
(2) What
correspondence, if any, has the minister received in favour of this proposed
impost, from whom, and on what date?
(3) Why is a government that promised us no new taxes
so intent upon using the agricultural sector as its personal cash cow, such
that it sees fit to levy charge upon charge against people who are already
struggling in the face of a long, dry summer, ongoing water restrictions, and
more and more unnecessary government regulation?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question,
but he really does have the wrong end of the stick.
(1)–(3) I
am aware that there is both opposition to and support in the state's
agricultural industry for the Agricultural Produce Commission Amendment Bill
2019. The Western Australian Farmers Federation, which is the largest
representative body for the agriculture sector, has written that it actively
supports me seeking these changes. We understand that the Pastoralists and
Graziers Association opposes the bill, although it will not apply to the
pastoral industry.
The member's question
conflates the APC amendment bill with increases in pastoral lease rents in the
Kimberley. As I said in an answer to Hon Robin Scott last week, I have
undertaken to exclude the pastoral industry from the scheme. If the bill is
passed, the next step is to regulate the industries to be covered. The
regulation we will gazette will exclude the pastoral industry. Then, if a producer
of an included industry applies to the APC for a specific industry or,
geographically, a sub-industry, there will be a vote of all affected growers as
to whether a producers' committee is established. If the industry votes
yes, a producers' committee will be formed and will determine whether a
levy for some purpose will be raised. Absolutely none of this money will go to
the government at any stage.