Pastoral Lands Bill

401 Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (3 February 2021). In relation to the draft Pastoral Lands Bill:

(a) Will you commit to make all departmental submissions public before legislation is introduced to the parliament?

(b) Given the concerns raised by the Native Vegetation Council regarding the process of changing land tenure from a pastoral lease to conservation purposes, and the importance of conservation within the pastoral estate, will you consider providing a simple process within the new bill to provide approval for conservation as the dominant purpose of lease without having to change land tenure?

(c) When will the up-to-the-minute satellite monitoring regime that has been proposed to replace stock maximums under the new bill be ready to be used?

(d) How much money has been allocated to the development and roll out of the proposed new satellite monitoring regime for pastoral leases?

(e) Have you begun work on the thresholds that will be used to enforce the proposed new satellite monitoring regime? Will you commit to releasing these details before the bill is introduced to parliament?

(f) How many FTEs have been allocated to monitoring and compliance under the Pastoral Lands Management and Conservation Act in each of the past five years?

(g) How much money has been spent on monitoring and compliance under the Pastoral Lands Management and Conservation Act in each of the past five years?

(h) Is there an intention to increase funding and staff allocations for monitoring and compliance if the current regime based on stock maximums and is replaced it with the proposed satellite monitoring regime?

(i) Apart from calling for submissions, what formal consultation has occurred with Indigenous representatives in the development of the draft pastoral bill?

(j) Apart from calling for submissions, what formal consultation has occurred with conservation representatives in the development of the draft pastoral bill?

(k) Has the minister or the department received any advice, including from the Valuer-General, on the implications of increasing pastoral lease terms from 42 to 100 years on the value of these leases? If so, what was this advice and who provided it?

(l) Has the minister or the department received any advice on the implications of increasing pastoral lease terms from 42 to 100 years on native title rights? If so, what was this advice and who provided it?

The Hon. D.K.B. BASHAM (Finniss—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development):

(a) Yes.

(b) Feedback raised during consultation is being considered.

(c) The timing will be determined by the pastoral board.

(d) The state government allocated 3.17 FTEs over three years to develop the monitoring system.

(e) This is a matter for the pastoral board to determine.

(f) The same resources as under the former labor government.

(g) The primary cost of administering compliance activities is built into the pastoral unit budget.

(h) The government is not proposing to increase lessee charges to pay for additional public servants.

(i) Significant consultation and direct contact has occurred with Aboriginal representatives, including native title holders and Aboriginal organisations who hold pastoral leases.

(j) Conservation organisations who hold pastoral leases were individually contacted and there has been significant consultation with conservation stakeholders, including a meeting with the minister.

(k) Any legal advice sought on the bill is legally privileged and not for disclosure.

(l) Any legal advice sought on the bill is legally privileged and not for disclosure.