POLITICAL parties are preparing their candidates for the next State election, to be held on Saturday, March 31, 2021.
With eight months to go, ongoing debates around the live export trade, animal activists, farm trespass laws, glyphosate use, regional rail and road infrastructure and the State's export markets are sure to be talking points as parties look to lure voters in Western Australia's country seats.
The Liberal Party
The Liberals newly-appointed Agriculture and Regional Development representative Steve Thomas told Farm Weekly he hoped to work with The Nationals WA in the lead up to the election, in order to hold the State government to account.
Heading into the election, Mr Thomas said The Nationals WA and Liberal Party needed to work together to achieve successful outcomes for the agricultural sector.
This week the party announced Mr Thomas has replaced Jim Chown in the portfolios.
"My personal preference is for us to have a coalition agreement prior to the election, outlining how we are going to work on these things - that would be ideal, including a mutually agreed process of expenditure out of Royalties for Regions," Mr Thomas said.
Calling for a revamp of the program, Mr Thomas said, by his calculations, about two thirds had become a cross-subsidisation process under the State government.
"A third of it now goes into subsidising rural and regional water charges and then that money gets cross-transferred back into general government revenue," Mr Thomas said.
"So we've seen it go from being too much of a slush fund when it was introduced to basically being undermined and used by the Labor government to underwrite other revenues.
"I'm looking for the middle ground, so that it will be used as a fund for the future of WA and regional infrastructure development and I want to work with the National party on this."
As a registered vet, Mr Thomas has two decades of experience working in the sheep and cattle industries and is trained in animal science and plant science.
He said this working knowledge of the industry had put him in good stead for the agricultural portfolio.
After becoming chairman of his local health board in the 1990s, Mr Thomas chaired a health service delivery for the entire South West region, from Yarloop in the north to Northcliffe in the south.
His frequent dealings with government ministers and involvement in long-term health planning influenced his decision to put his hand up for the new seat of Capel, created in the 2005 election.
"Between an interest in saving the world, making life better and some history in business, agriculture and human health administration, I got a taste for politics," Mr Thomas said.
After winning pre-selection for the Liberal Party and the seat, Labor introduced its 'One Vote One Value' reform and the Capel seat created for the 2005 election disappeared.
"So I was the first, the last and the only ever member for Capel in State Parliament - my great claim to fame in the lower house," Mr Thomas joked.
Heading into the 2021 election, his main goal is to raise the profile of agriculture.
"The first and most important thing I want to do is to give agriculture and regional development the prominence that it deserves," Mr Thomas said.
"Agriculture has been one of the great fall back industries in a COVID-19 era, so it has become even more important to WA and I'm keen to see that influence reflected in government."
Mr Thomas said developing new markets for the sector in a COVID-19 affected society was critical and that he also wanted to draw a focus to the future of the dairy industry, which has endured many challenges over the past 20 years.
The Nationals WA
The Nationals WA was first off the bat to announce its team in June with MPs Colin de Grussa and Martin Aldridge returning to the Agricultural Region ticket and to be joined by Geraldton's Natasha Colliver.
A third-generation farmer from Esperance, Mr de Grussa was elected as the Agricultural Region MP at the 2017 State Election and previously served as the party's State president from 2013-2015.
Growing up in Merredin, Gingin and Moora, Mr Aldridge, who was formerly a senior fire fighter in Gingin, has been involved with the Nationals for more than a decade, having held key roles as a ministerial policy adviser, State director of the party and chief of staff to former O'Connor MP Tony Crook.
"Our members on the Agricultural Region ticket Martin Aldridge and Colin de Grussa have worked tirelessly to represent the region in State Parliament and hold the Labor government to account for its continued neglect of regional WA," said The Nationals WA leader Mia Davies.
A City of Greater Geraldton councillor, Ms Colliver is also a communications co-ordinator at Geraldton Universities Centre.
"I'm pleased our State Council preselected local champions committed to regional WA and to restoring the integrity of Royalties for Regions, which has been under attack from the Labor Government," Ms Davies said.
WA Labor
DARREN WEST will hold the number one spot on the ticket for WA Labor's Agricultural Region candidates at the 2021 State election.
A Goomalling farmer, Mr West has represented the Agricultural Region since 2013 and is Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan's parliamentary secretary.
Mr West said he was proud to have worked alongside Laurie Graham, who after being elected at the 2017 State election will be retiring at the next election.
Shelley Payne, Esperance, will take the number two ticket spot while Sandra Carr, Geraldton, will be number three.
Ms Payne, who studied Environmental Management and is a chemical engineer, has served on the Esperance Shire Council since 2015.
She has three teenage children with husband Mark and since relocating from Canada has lived in Esperance for 20 years.
Ms Payne said she was excited to be chosen to run for the election next year and was looking forward to the challenge.
"I believe the McGowan government has done a good job in the region, managing the COVID-19 pandemic and investing in important local services," Ms Payne said.
"I look forward to getting out there and talking to locals about WA Labor's plan for the region in the lead-up to the election."
Ms Carr is an English teacher at Nagle Catholic College in Geraldton and has strong connections with the local community.
Premier Mark McGowan said WA Labor had put together "an outstanding team from right across the Agricultural Region with a wide array of skills, and a proven track record of getting things done."
"Laurie Graham will continue to serve until his retirement at the 2021 election as a valued member of my government," Mr McGowan said.
"I want to thank Laurie for his hard work and advocacy and wish him and his wife Heather well in his retirement."