FARMING'S two peak bodies in WA plus an organisation linked to the State's major trading partner have called on Premier Colin Barnett to appoint a single-portfolio Agriculture and Food Minister.
WAFarmers, Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) WA branch and the Indonesia Institute each called on Mr Barnett to appoint separate ministers to fill cabinet vacancies on Tuesday, after his continued leadership was ensured by failure of a Liberal party-room spill motion.
But, as Farm Weekly went to press, a spokeswoman for Mr Barnett said he had indicated he would move as quickly as possible to fill the "two cabinet vacancies" caused by the resignations of ministers Dean Nalder and Tony Simpson on Saturday.
That did not necessarily mean Agriculture and Food and Transport would continue to share a minister, the spokeswoman said.
She confirmed the final decision on portfolios "ultimately" was Mr Barnett's but said he would consult with his colleagues before announcing his decisions.
The resignations of Mr Nalder and Mr Simpson - the catalyst for Tuesday's failed spill motion - left two cabinet vacancies but spread across three portfolios.
Mr Nalder had been Agriculture and Food minister as well as Transport minister.
Mr Simpson was Local Government minister.
Mr Nalder resigned citing frustration with Mr Barnett's leadership and arbitrary decision making, mostly in relation to the Perth Freight Link and other transport portfolio and economic issues.
Mr Simpson said Mr Barnett and the direction he was taking the State, had lost his support.
At Tuesday's party-room meeting - initially called to discuss the resignations - Murray-Wellington MLA Murray Cowper, who was dissatisfied with the government's response to the report on the fatal Waroona fire earlier this year, moved a spill motion which was seconded by Morley MLA Ian Britza.
It was defeated 31 votes to 15, ending the challenge to Mr Barnett's leadership.
Mr Nalder, who was handed the Agriculture and Food portfolio on March 31 by Mr Barnett after a cabinet reshuffle, had declared he was a contender for Liberal leadership had the spill motion succeeded.
A third-generation politician from a Wagin farming family, Mr Nalder had encouraged farming organisations with promises he would rebuild and redirect the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA) to make it an effective advocate for agriculture.
Since the Barnett government came to power in 2008 the only time the Agriculture and Food Ministry has had a single-portfolio minister was from March 21 to December 11, 2013, under Ken Baston.
At all other times the Agriculture and Food ministers, Terry Redman, Mr Baston and Mr Nalder, have had additional portfolio responsibilities.
WAFarmers president Tony York backed calls for a dedicated Agriculture and Food minister to be appointed quickly by Mr Barnett, now the challenge to his leadership was seen off.
"The opportunity is there now to appoint a dedicated minister," Mr York said.
"The Agriculture and Food Ministry is important enough to WA to be the sole responsibility of a cabinet minister and not a shared responsibility with another portfolio competing for a minister's attention.
"The Transport ministry on its own is also big enough to warrant a full-time minister.
"We (WAFarmers) have a history of calling for a dedicated minister for Agriculture and Food and we hope Mr Barnett moves quickly to appoint new ministers," he said.
Mr York said WAFarmers was disappointed and frustrated by the way the Agriculture and Food portfolio had been treated.
"We are extremely disappointed and frustrated that we have lost another minister for agriculture, the second within less than a year," Mr York said.
"There are many ongoing issues that require the attention of a dedicated minister, such as the State's dairy industry difficulties, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and the issues surrounding DAFWA's structure and biosecurity funding.
"This continual instability in leadership means these issues will not likely be resolved in a timely manner or to the standard required to ensure the ongoing success of the state's agricultural industry."
PGA WA president Tony Seabrook also said he thought the Agriculture and Food and Transport ministries deserved dedicated ministers.
"Both are big enough and important enough on their own to deserve a minister's full attention," Mr Seabrook said.
"Both have been disadvantaged by having to share a minister in the past.
"Grower organisations need to have ready access to their minister.
"If there is no ready access then poor decisions are made.
"It is difficult enough to get to see a government minister to explain your position on an issue because they are very busy people.
"If you double up their workload it becomes impossible to get to see them," Mr Seabrook said.
Ross Taylor, president of the WA-based Indonesia Institute and former chief executive officer of the WA Potato Growers Association, said previous decisions to have a "part-time minister" to look after such a critical sector like agriculture were a "complete failure".
"Agriculture represents such an important industry for WA," Mr Taylor said.
"The development of inbound investment opportunities and export creation for our agriculture sector is critical and it demands a full-time and competent minister."
Opposition leader Mark McGowan said the failed challenge proved the Liberal Party "under Premier Colin Barnett was old, tired and arrogant and believes it's time is up".
"The Liberal-National Government leadership crisis is crippling government in WA and the Agriculture portfolio continues to suffer," he said.
"There's no minister, no direction, no plan.
"The Government has lost the ability to govern.
"As the Liberal-National Government MPs fight with each other, important issues like massive budget cuts to DAFWA and WA's biosecurity threat are being ignored.
"They are more concerned about their own jobs than they are about WA farmers.
"Under this government, there's been a revolving door of agriculture ministers.
"They are not giving agriculture the attention it deserves."
