CORONAVIRUS —
AGRICULTURAL SHOWS
714. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer to the cancellation of
agricultural shows in my electorate due to COVID-19.
(1) What support
will be provided to agricultural shows in WA, given that the federal government
and other state governments have indicated financial support?
(2) Is the
minister aware of the analysis and proposal of the Royal Agricultural Society
of WA with respect to the financial and community impact of show cancellations?
(3) Has the
minister met with the Royal Agricultural Society of WA and discussed its
proposal and ways that the state government can assist its members and
communities?
(4) Does the
state government support the $1.2 million request for funding assistance to
ensure the viability of many small country agricultural shows, particularly in
light of significant unspent funds from the royalties for regions fund?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the
question.
(1)–(4) My office has been talking extensively with the
Royal Agricultural Society of WA both about the Perth Royal Show, which we really hope will go ahead, and
about the small regional shows. There are about 57 regional shows and quite a number of them have had to be
cancelled. Members will be aware that the state government set up a $159
million COVID relief fund so that organisations that had suffered event
cancellations could access a special part of that fund. Only nine of the 57
shows actually applied for that funding. I know that some of our members—Hon
Laurie Graham and Hon Darren West—have been working with a lot of shows
in their region to find a way forward. Around 20 of those 57 are due to have
their shows in October and November, and some of them are going ahead. In the
member's electorate, we are pleased that the Katanning show will be
going ahead. We encourage as many of those shows as possible that are due to
occur in September, October or November to continue with them, and we will work
closely with them.
I have asked all development
commissions to work closely to see how they can help. Some groups have found
that it is very taxing on volunteers to run shows year after year and have
taken the opportunity and this uncertainty to decide to not progress and go
down that path this year. Others, like in Kununurra, are being very creative
and running a virtual show. I know that the Kimberley Development Commission
has reached out to them to see how we can help. We will be talking to organisers
of regional shows. Now that the Premier has announced the lifting of stage 4
and 5 restrictions, we encourage and support them to go full throttle and hold
their events.