Changes mooted to reform bill

The Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) held the meeting of pastoralists representing 80 properties and hoped the outcome would put pressure on the government to revisit its proposed Land Administration Act.

PGA president Tony Seabrook said after a three-hour question time, a motion was unanimously carried by the group rejecting the proposed reforms.

"A motion was passed that the legislation, as proposed by the Lands Minister Terry Redman, in its current form was unacceptable to industry," Mr Seabrook said.

"There was not a single opposing voice in the room."

The PGA called the emergency forum after Department of Lands (DoL) officials last month held stakeholder meetings on the draft bill in the Kimberley and Pilbara.

But Mr Seabrook said the association had continued to receive information from concerned pastoralists and was in a stand-off with Mr Redman over the extent of ministerial power entrenched in the new bill and its new security of tenure provisions.

Mr Seabrook said the group of pastoralists agreed that the number of clauses were unacceptable to industry.

"The PGA has requested a urgent meeting with the minister to discuss these concerns and offer alternatives," he said.

"That was passed unanimously.

"On a show of hands, every single person, except one individual said the abolition of the Pastoral Lands Board (PLB) was a deal breaker."

Mr Seabrook said the PGA wants the bill progressed and passed, but not in its current form.

"Yes, the PGA has rejected past proposals because they offered no benefit to pastoralists," he said.

"Unfortunately this draft is nothing more than a rehash of all the old proposals previously rejected by industry."

Mr Seabrook said following the event, he had made several attempts to call Mr Redman, but was yet to schedule a meeting.

"There are rumours he is wanting to make changes, but we don't know yet," he said.

"But we will prevail upon the minister to sit down and discuss the changes that would make it acceptable."

Mr Redman said he would consider changes to the draft bill based on feedback presented to him from the consultations and stakeholders.

"I spoke with PGA president Tony Seabrook on Monday regarding Friday's meeting and he reiterated to me the association's position," he said

"I was in Broome on Wednesday to meet with the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association and talk through the proposed Rangelands bill with them.

"I intend to introduce the Rangelands bill into Parliament during the government's current term, as this is the best opportunity to enact reforms the pastoral industry and other Rangelands stakeholders have been calling for."

Mr Redman said a series of public consultations in April followed many years of consultation with industry.

"Beginning with the Duncan Review in 2009, and including the 2013 Parliamentary Inquiry into Pastoral Leases in WA, there has been a significant amount of consultation with the industry," he said

"Over the last 18 months, representatives from the Department of Lands have met with pastoral and rangelands stakeholders, including the PGA and Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association, on many occasions consulting with industry during the drafting process."

Nullarbor pastoralist Mark Forrester said while the pastoral industry only represented a small part of the Rangelands, it represented about 95 per cent of the managed Rangelands.

"I am hopeful that Mr Redman is prepared to talk," he said.

"I think he needs to understand they represent a lot of pastoral properties."

Mr Forrester attended the emergency forum and said he believed the PGA hasn't been an "all-out attack dog" over the Bill.

"Industry considers it important for Mr Redman to take it on board," he said.

"I thought the door was left well and truly open.

"The ball is in the court of the department and the minister."

Mr Forrester said 120 pages of legislative changes had been interpreted differently by a few pastoralists.

"We are not lawyers and yes we spent the time to look over it, but everyone can interpret it a different way," he said.

"We have backed the PGA to negotiate on behalf of industry - it's the only way it can go forward.

"If you were presented with a 120 page document that was written in a confusing or misleading way, with no definitions on terms and conditions, you would have an opinion.

"There is a level of confusion and misunderstanding out there."

Mr Forrester said the bottom line was that many pastoralists want to see improvements in the Rangelands, not hinder its progress.

"We have a long history in the industry and I am dedicated to it, as are many families that have been involved in the industry for a long time," he said.

"Our family have an unbroken record of pastoral land management since 1846 in Australia and in WA since 1927.

"We consider we have a substantial stake, we realise we don't own the land, but we are long-term tenants and we want the very best for that land."

Mr Forrester said many people in the industry believe the abolition of the PLB was a non-negotiable item.

He believed what the government had proposed was not acceptable and industry was better off with the current Lands Administration Act .

"Having said that there is a lot in the document that is positive," he said.

"Industry doesn't want that knocked over; we want to negotiate."

Mr Forrester said the general view was not only to retain the PLB, but to strengthen it.

"It would give the board 'real teeth' so it can actually back up its directives," he said.

Mr Forrester said the industry's main concern was the prospect of a total concentration of power within the department of Lands via the lands minister.

He said many pastoralists were concerned that the department had neither the expertise or the capacity to deal with it.