Committees

Chairman – Gary Peacock

Deputy Chair – John Duvall

Policy Director – Milan Zaklan – pga@pgaofwa.org.au   Ph +61 8 9479 4599

This Committee oversees all the legislation and regulations relating to environmental issues that affect the operations of primary producers.

The PGA is the leader in identifying the complexities within the State and Federal Water legislation and has provided effective solutions for the benefit of our members.

NATIONAL WATER INITIATIVE

The Association is committed to ensuring that producers receive perpetual water entitlements for commercial water rather than be tied to a system of periodic licenses so that long term planning of their enterprise is possible.

Under the Initiative the provision of stock water is to be free of charge and PGA is monitoring this situation as well as making sure that stock and domestic water remain as a common law right.

STATE ISSUES WITH WATER

The PGA has been monitoring the situation of the imposition of restrictions on the use of rural land due to the reservation of water for future drinking water supplies.  There are also a number of regional and local water management plans being prepared that require scrutiny to ensure that producers are not adversely affected.  Water allocation policy relating to commercial water is another issue being monitored.

WETLANDS POLICIES

PGA believes that the environmental protection policies for the South West and the Swan Coastal Plain should only affect “conservation “category wetlands.

The Association is committed to retaining the right of the landholder to veto the listing of any wetland on their property.

PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS

The PGA continues to lobby the State Government for the creation of a Private Property Rights Bill which will protect the interests of the Land owners in WA.  

LAND CLEARING REGULATIONS

The Association has been campaigning for the removal of the “10 year” rule restrictions from the regulations associated with the Environmental Protection Act as well as the abolition of criminal penalties for Tier 1 and Tier 2 offences for land clearing.

STATE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

The PGA believes that the funding under this program should be directed to “on-ground” works rather than to personnel who have no direct contact with land managers.

NINGALOO

The PGA continues to lobby the State Environmental Minister for amendments to the proposed boundaries under the World Heritage listing at Ningaloo.

The PGA has also been successful in lobbying the State Government to take an active part in recognising the requirements of the Pastoralists Cattle operations under the proposed West Kimberley Heritage Listing.