THE Boyanup saleyard site is Crown land in trust to the Shire of Capel for the purposes of a saleyard, according to Hansard reports from Estimates Committee in State Parliament.
The ownership of the Boyanup site has been one of the uncertain aspects to the discussion about a future facility and has seen the government questioned – revealing important details for concerned cattle producers in the South West.
Producers have expressed concern at the uncertainty surrounding a future saleyard at or near Boyanup and have been waiting for the State government to announce its plans for the future.
In May, Liberal Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney asked during the Estimates Committee if there were funds left over from the sale of the Midland saleyards to go towards the new Boyanup saleyards, what the status of the yards was, and also the timeline for the relocation or replacement of the Boyanup saleyards.
Western Australian Meat Industry Authority (WAMIA) chief executive officer Andrew Williams, who has since resigned, attended and was asked to respond.
Mr Williams said there were “no funds left over from the original allocation, to the best of our knowledge”.
He said that on March 7, 2018, “the minister held an industry round table where it was clarified that there were definitely benefits in the construction of a modern saleyard in the South West to replace those at Boyanup”.
“Any development of a new facility will rely primarily on private sector funding and there is interest from the private sector if the right package can be developed,” Mr Williams said.
“There is some interest amongst industry for a package that involves the Muchea Livestock Centre.
“A process is currently under consideration to seek expressions of interest for the construction of a saleyard by the private sector in the South West.”
Mr Williams said the expression-of-interest process that was being developed was not a standard procurement process because the government was not buying a saleyard.
“We are attempting to develop a little bit of a hybrid process with all arms of government, so that takes a little bit of time,” he said.
“We are hopeful that it will be done very shortly and that we will be going out to the private sector in the not-too-distant future.
“I cannot give the member a time frame at this point because a number of government agencies are involved.”
WA Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan has been contacted for an update on the tender issue but was unable to provide further details.
Mr Williams also said that his “understanding is that the land in question at Boyanup is a Crown grant in trust to the Shire of Capel for the purposes of a saleyard”.
“That Crown grant in trust is predicated on having a saleyard on the site.
“The Shire of Capel has indicated, publicly at least, that it wishes to remove the saleyards by the end of 2022.
“However, certainly at the ministerial round table that happened on March 7, in discussions with the Shire of Capel and industry, some indication was given that there may be some wriggle room in that.”
In response to questions by Liberal South West MLC Steve Thomas in June, Ms MacTiernan said there was no time limit on the land in trust to the Shire of Capel and it remained in State ownership.
She said the government would work through a negotiated outcome with Capel Shire, due to its desire to do residential development on the land, when it could find a satisfactory resolution on an alternate site.
