Doorstop in Bunbury, WA

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP
BUNBURY
TUESDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2024

Subjects: New funding for transition support package; housing. 

JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Okay, well, it’s great to be here in Western Australia down in Bunbury at V&V Walsh, and I also want to thank Wayne and his team for having us here. What I’ve seen here this morning is a great example of great Australian produce that’s being exported around the globe. That’s what I’m here for. I want to talk about the great agricultural opportunities for Western Australia.

I’m also pleased to be able to say today that we’ve increased our funding for the transition away from live sheep exports into more processed sheepmeat, of now $139.7 million. It’s an additional $32 million. The additional money will be going into more processing grants that we’ll be working with the Western Australian government on, including community wellbeing as well as part of that package.

We’ll also be adding a further $21 million to the program which will be supporting farmers on farm to transition, and we will be co-designing this with industry. We want to work collaboratively and listen to the farmers in Western Australia and people along the supply chain about how do we take advantage of this. Here are some great opportunities for what is a growing market around the world. We want to grow with those growing global trends to have more sheepmeat processed here in Australia and exported around the world.

There’s great opportunities here. It’s currently a $4.5 billion industry, our sheepmeat exports. We are the largest sheepmeat exporter in the globe. We have a fabulous product, and this will be a great opportunity for regional jobs here in Western Australia. Happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Last time the Prime Minister was in Perth he said the fund was a firm amount. So what’s changed?

COLLINS: Well, we’ve obviously been engaging with industry representatives. We’ve been talking to people. I’ve been liaising with the Western Australian government, and this is about adding additional funds to those two areas we're told will require a bit more work. And that’s expanding the processing capacity here in Western Australia and, importantly, it’s with the sheep producers and making sure that we transition and have a package that’s co-designed to allow farmers to transition on farm and adapt their farms to be able to take up the great opportunities that will come their way.

JOURNALIST: We’ve already heard from industry leaders that this extra funding still isn’t enough. What do you make of those comments?

COLLINS: Well, we’ve been listening to feedback, and that’s why we’ve put up the additional funds today. I’m here in Western Australia to listen and to talk to people firsthand about what the opportunities for Western Australia are. I’ve got a very broad itinerary here over my three days. I’m not just here at, you know, a processor here of sheepmeat, but I’m also going out on farm to meet with farmers. I’m also meeting with grain producers about opportunities for them. I’m meeting with pastoralists up in the Kimberley. I’m also going to go and meet with the lobster producers. Western Australia makes some great produce. What my job is, is to make sure that we get the best value for that and create the most jobs in Western Australia we can.

JOURNALIST: What consultation did you have, if any, with WA industry to determine that $32 million was enough on top of the 107?

COLLINS: Well, we’ve obviously been having discussions, and what I’ve said is I will come to Western Australia and have further discussions and that’s what I’m doing. We think we’ve got this package right after talking to people on the ground, particularly producers, about what is going to be required for the transition. The transition will provide great opportunities for regional jobs here in Western Australia, which is why we’ve made the adjustments we have.

JOURNALIST: Is there another top up to come, or is this the last of it?

COLLINS: Well, we’ve listened. This package we think is the right package for Western Australia to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that will come from the transition away from live exports to more sheepmeat processing.

JOURNALIST: And is this an attempt to get it out of the news before the upcoming election?

COLLINS: This is about us working with the Western Australian government, working with the industry and listening about what is required for the transition and adapting. That’s what this is about.

JOURNALIST: When will the funding actually become available for farmers?

COLLINS: Well, we’ll be opening one of the grant rounds particularly about opening up new export markets in early November, in just a couple of weeks’ time. I want to see the money start to flow as soon as possible.

JOURNALIST: The WA Meat Industry Authority projected that what is actually needed instead of 107 or the newly updated 139, they projected around over $400 million is needed. You’re pretty far off that. What do you make of that?

COLLINS: Well, we obviously, you know, as part of this process have listened to people. We’ve had discussions. You know, my predecessor Murray Watt has had the inquiry, had the panel come over here. We have been listening to feedback. We think the package is what is required to allow the transition to happen in a smooth way. This will be happening, the transition is happening and underway now. The exports will cease on the 1st of May 2028. My job now is to get the transition as smooth as possible.

JOURNALIST: If during your trip here there’s overwhelmingly feedback that it’s still not enough, is there any mechanism to increase funding?

COLLINS: I think what we’ll do is we’ll see how the grants and the rollout of that money goes. We have already responded to people’s concerns around the package with this additional funding today. It is a significant additional investment of $32.7 million. That is a significant top up from the original $107 million.

JOURNALIST: Modelling from DPIRD that’s available shows that the WA flock size could reduce from what was 12 million to below 8 million. So how wise is it for processors to be investing in this?

COLLINS: This is about supporting farmers and processors to make this transition. What we need to do is work with farmers on farm, and that’s why we’ve added that additional $21 million, after listening to producers, about making sure that we had that adaptability on farm to work with farmers so that they can meet the demands.

But we’ve just signed a new trade agreement with the UAE. This will provide great opportunity for more sheepmeat to go around the world. What we need to do is be able to meet the demand. The demand is there. This is global trends that are happening for Australian sheepmeat. We need to be able to meet that. And the more we can do that on farm and support farmers to do that, the better.

JOURNALIST: Will this package be at all directed to finding a new market for mutton? And, if so, do you reckon that will be ready by 2028?

COLLINS: Well, part of the package includes $27 million for expanding markets. We’re happy to have discussions and work with the industry about alternative meats going into the market. What we want to do is get the best utilisation of the meat that we have available and get great Australian produce around the world and get a great price for it. That’s my job.

JOURNALIST: What are some of the key stakeholders that provided you with the feedback that they want the extra funding?

COLLINS: Well, we’ve obviously been talking to sheep producers. We’ve been talking to the live export council. We’ve been talking to the NFF. We’ve been talking to the Western Australian government about what is required here on the ground, and we have responded.

JOURNALIST: Whereabouts is the $30 million going to go?

COLLINS: Well, as I said, the additional money, an additional 21, will be going towards the on-farm transition to support farmers. The other money will be going towards helping processors gear up for the additional volume and to make sure that it can be processed here in Western Australia.

JOURNALIST: 1.7 mil was already in place to appoint a transition advocate. What’s the progress here? Is an appointment likely to be made soon?

COLLINS: Well, we’re obviously talking to industry about that appointment and about what the transition advocate should look like to make sure that the transition goes smoothly.

JOURNALIST: Have you got a timeline on when that appointment will be made?

COLLINS: I want to see it happen as quickly as possible.

JOURNALIST: This one comes from my colleagues at Parliament House in Canberra. Australian Wool Innovation receives tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds. Do you think it’s appropriate its former CEO has received an almost half a million dollar payout?

COLLINS: I’m not aware of that story in terms of Innovation Australia. But what I would say is that the salaries of these organisations go through the Remuneration Tribunal, and they’re hands off from government.

JOURNALIST: This is your first visit to WA as the Ag Minister. Why now? Why not come sooner?

COLLINS: Well, obviously we’ve had some parliamentary sittings, and I wanted to make sure that I was across the detail, and I had had some discussion with industry prior to coming to Western Australia. This is the first opportunity I’ve had. It’s not my first visit to Western Australia this year. I’ve had other visits to Western Australia. I love coming over West and I love meeting with my counterparts over here.

JOURNALIST: Will you be meeting with Jackie Jarvis while you’re here?

COLLINS: Absolutely I will be. And I’ve been talking to Jackie Jarvis and to the Western Australian government. And I look forward to meeting up with Jackie tomorrow afternoon. They’ve obviously got their state parliament sitting, but we certainly will be in touch.

JOURNALIST: What conversations were had with your state counterpart on this extra $30 million? Is that an amount that she was happy with?

COLLINS: Look, I think what you’ve got in the Western Australian government are proud Western Australians, always advocating for their state. And they were listened to, as were the sheep producers and, indeed, the live export council and the NFF. What we want to do is make this transition as smooth as possible.

JOURNALIST: Would the funding expand current processing facilities or is there opportunities for new infrastructure?

COLLINS: Well, we’ll be designing that grants program with the Western Australian government to make sure that it can respond to local needs here in Western Australia.

JOURNALIST: As the very recent former Minister for Homelessness, do you think it’s acceptable the state government here has rejected a request from the City of Bunbury to help fund a homeless shelter when Perth has six and Bunbury has none?

COLLINS: Well obviously as the former Minister for Housing and Homelessness I’m very pleased the Federal Government has invested now $32 billion in the Homes for Australia plan. That includes additional money for homelessness provided to states but, importantly, additional capital. I know that your State Housing Minister here, John Carey, is very passionate about making sure that those funds hit the ground and that he can house as many people as quickly as possible here in Western Australia.

JOURNALIST: Will any of that money go to low-barrier crisis accommodation or is there any extra funds planned for low-barrier crisis accommodation in Bunbury?

COLLINS: Well, we’ve obviously already provided additional funds. There was a $2 billion social housing fund of which Western Australia got its fair share. And then, of course, there’s been an additional billion dollars in infrastructure for housing that can be used – up to 25 per cent for additional social housing here in Western Australia. And I know that it’s in good hands with John Carey delivering more homes for Western Australians that need it.

JOURNALIST: Was it a good look that the Prime Minister is looking to buy a $4.3 million house given issues so many Australians are facing with the housing market?

COLLINS: Look, you know, people’s circumstances change. And I don’t spend a lot of time looking at the personal issues and private property purchases of members of parliament. I’m sure the Prime Minister will address it throughout the day, if he hasn’t already. But, you know, this is a private matter for the Prime Minister.