THE State government has unveiled its Pastoral Lands Reform package "to drive sustainable development and better land management while supporting pastoralists across Western Australia".
The suite of measures is said to enhance land management and improve security of tenure, along with encouraging development and diversification on the pastoral estate.
Enhanced land condition monitoring will deliver increased knowledge of the pastoral areas and support improved land condition through encouragement of best practices.
An integrated risk-based approach to land condition monitoring and compliance will be developed in partnership between government, the Pastoral Lands Board, the pastoral industry, native title holders and other key stakeholders.
The government said that modern pastoralism required extensive capital investment and improved security of tenure for pastoralists would minimise the uncertainty and risk of investment.
Measures aimed at encouraging development and diversification will give pastoralists confidence to explore complementary income from sources other than livestock, including the statutory right of pastoral lease renewal, subject to compliance with lease and statutory conditions; the ability to increase lease term to 50 years, subject to the Native Title Act 1993; the statutory right to transfer diversification permits upon transfer of the lease, subject to compliance with permit conditions, to remove uncertainty about capital investment in non-pastoral activities conducted under a diversification permit; and streamlining inter-agency approval processes for permits to increase transparency and introduce options for fast-tracking where applicable.
Pastoralists opting in to a voluntary accreditation system to be co-designed by government and the pastoral industry will be able to take full advantage of the new measures.
Further formal consultation will begin once draft amendments to the Land Administration Act 1997 have been completed.
Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan said through the Pastoral Lands Reform package, "the State government was supporting the ongoing success of the industry and the future sustainability of the pastoral estate".
"This is a considered and modest package, based on extensive industry consultation, to support pastoralists to develop business models that improve land condition, grow their business and broaden their income streams through diversification, and in turn create jobs for regional WA," Ms MacTiernan said.
"Report after report has told us that land conditions in the rangelands have deteriorated for decades, and a fundamental redesign of our monitoring and compliance regime in the pastoral estate is essential.
"This package will boost that effort and develop a new approach in partnership with industry.
"Providing security of tenure and measures to encourage diversification will help ensure our pastoralists continue to play an important role in our State's future."
Lands Minister Ben Wyatt said the pastoral estate covered more than 860,000 square kilometres and was a significant asset to WA.
"This reform focuses on long-term, sustainable management and improving the condition of significant parts of the pastoral estate," Mr Wyatt said.
"With the work of the Pastoral Lands Board and better monitoring, we will improve our understanding of the land and support better land management."
The Pastoral Lands Board (PLB) welcomed the announcement with chairman Tim Shackleton confirming that the State government had approved a package of reforms that were designed to update and improve administrative arrangements for pastoral land, most of which has remained largely unchanged since the 1800s.
The reform package follows a 2018 PLB report which identified the need to improve how pastoral land was managed and administered, to provide greater security of tenure for pastoralists and create better processes for diversification and development of the industry.
"Our pastoralists are facing changing market and environmental conditions and it is important they have the right tools and support to transition with the times," Mr Shackleton said.
"The PLB is committed to supporting pastoral stations.
"Our early collaboration with industry representatives - including the Pastoralists and Graziers Association and the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association - was critical to get us to this point, and we look forward to continuing that collaboration in our efforts to realise true reform for the sector.
"Our role is to ensure the best practice management of WA's pastoral estate and I am pleased we have been able to contribute to a robust, modern package of reform measures that will benefit leaseholders and their broader communities."
The reform package was developed through a collaboration of government agencies with input from a Pastoral Industry Reference Group, chaired by Mr Shackleton.
Work on the proposed reforms will now progress to drafting the necessary legislative amendments, with further public consultation to follow.
Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA president Tony Seabrook said they had been kept in the loop about the process and was "broadly supportive of the goals and objectives" of the government but its endorsement would be conditional on how the legislation turned out.
"It has the potential to be positive for the industry," Mr Seabrook said.
"It has got to be better than the current situation but we need to see the legislation before we support it."
Mr Seabrook was concerned that there could be some "draconian" measures put in place to take better care of the rangelands.
"In the hands of a zealot it could be really dangerous," he said.
"There is concern that the government might take more than they give."
