WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis vigorously refuted recent claims made by deputy leader of The Nationals WA Peter Rundle when she was at the Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants (AAAC) Outlook Conference at Frasers Kings Park, Perth, last Friday.
Ms Jarvis reiterated she was advocating for the "best outcome" for everyone involved in the Federal government's plans to phase-out the live sheep exports by sea.
The WA minister said she had advised Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt of the need for clarity and certainty around the phase-out's timing, which Mr Watt said he was committed to delivering by the end of the year.
Ms Jarvis defended herself against comments made by Mr Rundle, who, in State Parliament, claimed the minister had not been in contact with Mr Watt during a six-week period between June and July.
"That is an absolute lie and you should know it's an absolute lie because I've been quoted in the media," Ms Jarvis said.
She said a freedom of information (FoI) request was made against her office asking for written correspondence between Mr Watt and herself during this period.
"The FoI request came back and said nothing, because when I want to speak to Murray Watt I pick up the phone and I talk to him and I have meetings with him," Ms Jarvis said.
Citing three face-to-face meetings, including a joint press conference in Perth earlier in the year and dinners in Melbourne, Victoria, Ms Jarvis said Mr Rundle's claims were incorrect.
"I am advocating for WA agriculture, but I think we need to acknowledge that the Federal government has made a decision and has a policy position," she said.
The minister made the comments when officially opening the AAAC event and talking about a new export market opportunity in Thailand and Vietnam, shipping out the State's excess avocados.
The opportunity for WA avocados to be exported to Thailand and Vietnam was due to the State's fruit fly-free status, and with an expected harvest of 50,000 tonnes of avocados next year, the export agreement was "vital" in preventing waste.
"Biosecurity is the most important challenge I see as the Agriculture Minister," Ms Jarvis said, referencing the heightened risk around foot and mouth disease and lumpy skin disease.
The State government has put $10 million to increase field personnel in veterinary pathology and diagnostic testing, as well as upskill training for private practice vets to service remote and rural areas.
Ms Jarvis also spoke on a trip to China for an International Import Export exhibition, which saw representation from 23 WA agribusinesses.
"This is incredibly important on the back of the removal of tariffs on barley and obviously we're hoping for more good news and the removal of tariffs for some of our other products," Ms Jarvis said.
Legislated targets aimed at decarbonisation and a climate transition were mentioned during the minister's speech, saying interim targets for net emissions will be put into place by the State government for the years 2030, 2035 and 2040.
"These are targets, not mandates, and the legislation and legislative targets will not create any additional regulations or obligations on business industry project requirements, local governments or households," Ms Jarvis said.
"Instead the legislation is designed to provide confidence that WA has stable, clear and necessary policies to reduce emissions and help mobilise the private sector capital for the net zero transition.
"The Cook government has consulted widely with industry to make sure we're all on this journey together," she said.
Ms Jarvis concluded her opening speech by asking conference attendees under the age of 35 to stand up, which was about 40 of the more than 200 people who attended.
"What I hope this experiment shows is the phenomenal number of young people here who are interested in our sector," Ms Jarvis said.
The audience had a chance to ask Ms Jarvis any questions they had before the day proceeded.
One audience member, a farm management consultant, asked if there was consideration or funding towards upskilling farmers in the legislation and administration side of the climate transition.
The audience member said some of her clients were concerned about the "burden" of administering government policy around climate transitions.
Ms Jarvis said she hoped processes around carbon reporting, for example, would become more streamlined, into one, easy-to-use application.
