Press Release

West Australian Pastoralists remain furious at the WA State Government’s continued inaction over the past four years to establish a fair and equitable system for setting pastoral lease rents.

“Despite numerous pleas from the PGA, the Liberal - National Government not only continues to refuse to correct the unsustainable and inequitable pastoral lease rent increases they set in 2009, but will not implement a fair and just system to determine rents,” Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) President Rob Gillam said today.

“This continued inaction by the State government has led to many West Australian pastoralists paying the highest lease rates in Australia, with some having seen their rents increase up to 500% over the past five years,” he said.

“Many stations which are still recovering from the temporary shut down of the Indonesian live cattle trade are now facing increased financial pressure with increases in fuel and electricity costs thanks to the Carbon Tax and unlike businesses in the city, are ineligible for any compensation to offset these costs.”

“And to add further fuel to the fire, pastoral lease rents will be next reviewed with new rents applicable from July 1 in 2014, with no guarantee that increases of a similar magnitude won’t be implemented.”

“The PGA has brought up this issue on numerous occasions with Premier Barnett, Minister Grylls and all three Treasurers and put forward as far back as 2009, a detailed plan which would establish a fairer method to determine rental values – and in each instance our pleas have been ignored.”

“This is unacceptable from any Government, but even more so from one that considers itself to be the champion of the bush.”

“The Premier, the Treasurer and the Lands Minister have had four and a half years to address this mess, yet refuse to acknowledge that there is another industry in the North of the State besides mining - notably livestock grazing which has been there for over 100years and is responsible for the opening up of the remote areas of Western Australia,” he said.

“It is time that the Liberal- National Government begins to listen to the families and communities that are being ignored and mistreated by their inaction to address this issue.”