CONCERNS have been raised about the future of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and its agricultural capabilities after Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan confirmed job cuts were on the table.
Ms MacTiernan has come under fire from opposition MPs and WAFarmers after she confirmed redundancies would be offered within DPIRD as part of a restructure.
“DPIRD, like other WA government departments, is a participant in the WA government’s Voluntary Target Separation Scheme 2017 to streamline the public service into a more efficient and effective organisation,” Ms MacTiernan said.
“This process is underway and final numbers, positions and locations have not been determined but obviously, the new department does not require three separate sets of corporate services.”
Ms MacTiernan said with the current “tight budget”, the government was taking “important steps towards rebuilding capacity in the department to give the agriculture and food sector the strongest footing to compete in the 21st Century”.
She said this included relocating DPIRD staff into the regions.
DPIRD has 1670 full-time employees from the amalgamation of Agriculture and Food, Fisheries and Regional Development staff.
In 2007 when the Department of Agriculture and Food WA was as a standalone department there were 1581 full-time staff.
WAFarmers president Tony York said the staff cuts were in direct contrast to the increasing strength of the WA agrifood sector and recent labelling of DPIRD as a ‘morgue’ by Ms MacTiernan.
“It is no secret that despite the State’s agricultural industry being worth $8.6 billion in farmgate value and approximately $20b in postgate value through the supply chain, the department has been pared to the bone in recent years,” Mr York said.
“DPIRD is charged with supporting and driving the agrifood and regional development sectors, but it currently struggles to perform its key functions of policy, regulation and development.
“These impending DPIRD job cuts come at a time when morale is at its lowest, and one questions how long a single department can endure so many hits before becoming unsustainable.
“It is understood that some of those facing the voluntary redundancies involve people in senior positions who have dedicated so much of their careers to ensure the viability of the State’s agricultural sectors.
“We urgently need assurance from the government that even with the loss of some outstanding individuals from DPIRD, the WA’s stringent biosecurity will ensure borders will remain secure, R&D will continue, and innovations will be capitalised upon to ensure industry growth and development.”
Mr York said the amalgamation of separate portfolios earlier in the year to create DPIRD could have been the catalyst for the cuts, with agriculture not featuring prominently on the newly-formed DPIRD executive.
“With regional development now included as a focus of the department, it could be argued that the Agriculture and Food portfolio is not getting the attention it needs and deserves,” he said.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Ian Blayney said the job cuts showed the government’s “lack of understanding and support” for the agricultural sector and WA farmers.
Mr Blayney said the State government demonstrated little commitment to support one of WA’s biggest industries.
“It is time for Labor and the Minister to come clean and explain their plan for agriculture,” Mr Blayney said.
He said the farming sector needed to be confident that continued support and development in biosecurity and innovation would not suffer from the job cuts.
“The minister is on the record stating her concerns over the research and development capabilities of the department and yet here she is enforcing more cuts,” Mr Blayney said.
“My fear is the impact of the loss of knowledge and experience in the department and the impact it will have long-term on the industry.”
