Latest news with #JackieJarvis
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Government grants promise to make shopping local easier as more WA farmers go to market
WA families feeling the pinch are being urged to go straight to the source for food, as the Cook Government throws more financial support towards farmers' markets. Grants of up to $50,000 each will be available for operators, under a $2 million support program that Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis called an Australian first. 'We really want to encourage new farmers markets and those existing ones to reach financial sustainability,' she told reporters at the Stirling farmers market on Sunday. 'It's a great way for farmers and food producers to sell directly to residents in Perth from a sustainability point of view, from low food miles. 'Farmers markets are a fantastic addition to any community.' The grants are a one-off that will go towards infrastructure, planning and marketing, while there is also a new one-day training program for operators to improve their business skills. Market manager Katrina Lombardo said demand for local markets has only grown in the wake of COVID and rising cost of living pressures, with about 20 farmers markets now operating across WA and plans for a new market in Collie soon. 'They're actually the most affordable place to do your grocery shopping because we're cutting out the middle man,' she said. 'The farmers and the producers get to just sell directly so you're almost getting wholesale prices.'
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
WA Ag Minister laughs off reporter's nude run threat
The State Government has laughed off a reporter's threat to run a lap fully nude around the future Burswood race track, while insisting its $217 million budget for the track and amphitheatre is realistic. The Opposition has poured doubt on the Government's costings for the controversial project, which was announced in February during the election campaign and doesn't yet have a formal business case. The West Australian's Ben Harvey, in his Sunday Times column, said he was 'so certain the race track won't come in on time and budget' that he pledged to run a lap fully nude on the race track's opening day if he was wrong. Government Minister Jackie Jarvis suggested the tongue-in-cheek bet would be extra motivation to keep spending in check, before realising he was betting the budget would blow out. 'It's an entertainment precinct, I'm not sure that's the type of entertainment we had in mind,' she told reporters on Sunday. 'It's a quandary. I mean we want to be careful with taxpayers' money, we might just have to have a closed track option that day!' Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas is confident the nude run won't happen, declaring the project will run over budget. 'The Minister admitted to me the $217 million dollar cost of the project is a guess based on draft assessments,' he said. 'This is a Government who don't listen and don't care, they do what they want and spend what they want. And they don't follow the rules. 'Minister Saffioti couldn't even confirm in estimates if the race track will be assessed by Infrastructure WA.' Labor confirmed a business case for the Burswood entertainment precinct is 'in development' during Budget estimates, when the Premier was put under pressure to explain why the plan has not been submitted to Infrastructure WA for independent assessment. 'I can confirm that the proposal has not been submitted, and Infrastructure WA has not yet been provided with a business case for assessment,' Mr Cook said. Liberal leader Basil Zemplias at a rally against Burswood race track at Parliament House Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian 'Obviously it is a project that at this stage is estimated to be over $100 million once the design and business case has been completed. It would, as a matter of course be referred to Infrastructure WA for its views.' A group of companies was awarded the contract to design and build the project this month, as the Cook Government aims to finish the racetrack in time for the opening round of the V8 Supercars in 2027. The consortium that includes Seymour Whyte, Civmec and Aurecon was the same group behind Perth's Boorloo pedestrian and cycling bridge that opened in East Perth in December and was $50 million over budget.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
No joke. Opposition says Labor's $217 million Burswood budget must be put to the test
The State Government has laughed off a reporter's threat to run a lap fully nude around the future Burswood race track, while insisting its $217 million budget for the track and amphitheatre is realistic. The Opposition has poured doubt on the Government's costings for the controversial project, which was announced in February during the election campaign and doesn't yet have a formal business case. The West Australian's Ben Harvey, in his Sunday Times column, said he was 'so certain the race track won't come in on time and budget' that he pledged to run a lap fully nude on the race track's opening day if he was wrong. Government Minister Jackie Jarvis suggested the tongue-in-cheek bet would be extra motivation to keep spending in check, before realising he was betting the budget would blow out. 'It's an entertainment precinct, I'm not sure that's the type of entertainment we had in mind,' she told reporters on Sunday. 'It's a quandary. I mean we want to be careful with taxpayers' money, we might just have to have a closed track option that day!' Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas is confident the nude run won't happen, declaring the project will run over budget. 'The Minister admitted to me the $217 million dollar cost of the project is a guess based on draft assessments,' he said. 'This is a Government who don't listen and don't care, they do what they want and spend what they want. And they don't follow the rules. 'Minister Saffioti couldn't even confirm in estimates if the race track will be assessed by Infrastructure WA.' Labor confirmed a business case for the Burswood entertainment precinct is 'in development' during Budget estimates, when the Premier was put under pressure to explain why the plan has not been submitted to Infrastructure WA for independent assessment. 'I can confirm that the proposal has not been submitted, and Infrastructure WA has not yet been provided with a business case for assessment,' Mr Cook said. 'Obviously it is a project that at this stage is estimated to be over $100 million once the design and business case has been completed. It would, as a matter of course be referred to Infrastructure WA for its views.' A group of companies was awarded the contract to design and build the project this month, as the Cook Government aims to finish the racetrack in time for the opening round of the V8 Supercars in 2027. The consortium that includes Seymour Whyte, Civmec and Aurecon was the same group behind Perth's Boorloo pedestrian and cycling bridge that opened in East Perth in December and was $50 million over budget.
West Australian
15-07-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Feral deer to be culled across 1000sqkm area near Esperance and Harvey
A feral deer population of about 1500 will begin to be culled across southern WA next week after being identified through aerial surveillance and thermal imaging technology. Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis told State Parliament the project had covered 660sqkm near Esperance, 440sqkm near Harvey, and 41sqkm near Muchea during the past two years. More than 1500 feral deer were identified in the three targeted areas— with about 660 feral deer found near Esperance, about 700 near Harvey, and about 170 near Muchea. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will start localised aerial control for feral deer in the Esperance and Harvey areas next week. A spokeswoman for Ms Jarvis said WA was in a 'unique' position to control feral deer populations while they were still 'relatively small and localised'. 'Feral deer populations in WA have the potential to grow quickly and are an emerging pest threat, impacting agricultural production, important environmental values and sensitive areas,' she said. 'Like many pests, deer tend to prefer areas on the fringe of bushland and farmland, where they can graze in paddocks but retreat to cover if startled.' A declared pest, feral deer damage the WA environment and agriculture industry by grazing on native plants, competing with native fauna for food and habitat resources, impact water quality and soil properties, and damage pasture, commercial crops and orchards. They also act as carriers for diseases and pathogens such as foot-and-mouth disease, and can transmit exotic livestock diseases to cattle, sheep, and goats. The aerial control will take place across Crown land and over a small number of private rural properties. DPIRD has liaised with affected landholders to plan control efforts. 'During the past two years, DPIRD has undertaken aerial thermal surveys targeting agricultural and conservation areas where there are known populations of feral deer,' the spokeswoman said. 'The information gathered is aiding the development of tools and management strategies to develop best practice control measures.' Australia is home to more than 1.5 million feral deer, the population exploding from about 80,000 in 1980. DPIRD has been assisted by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions with deer research initiatives, surveys, and control program activities. 'Thermally-assisted aerial control is an effective method for reducing deer populations across a landscape,' the spokeswoman said. She said any future control would be determined by the success of the current program and DPIRD was continuing to liaise with rural landholders near Muchea to plan for local aerial control activities in early 2026. Landholders who see vertebrate pests, such as feral deer, on their property can report sightings using the FeralScan App or online at .
West Australian
02-07-2025
- Science
- West Australian
State Government invests $5 million into nation-wide plant phenotyping project for improved crop varities
WA crop production and grains research is set to be boosted thanks to a $5 million State Government investment into a nation-wide plant phenotyping project. Two WA nodes were launched on July 2 as part of Australian Plant Phenomics Network's nationwide project to analyse the responses of plants to soil, water, nutrients, and light for the development of high-performance grain varieties. Plant phenotyping is the assessment of complex traits including development, growth, resistance, tolerance, physiology, architecture, yield, and ecology. The two nodes will be located in Northam and Merredin at the University of Western Australia and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development research facilities. APPN chief executive Richard Dickmann said the project presented a unique opportunity for the state that would allow for the identification of appealing traits for grain development. 'This is a unique opportunity for WA to establish and develop world-leading plant phenotyping capabilities, linked to national and international scientists, which will help address the challenges and opportunities facing WA farmers,' he said. 'With our new capabilities in high-throughput imaging and measurement of plants, supported by advanced data collection and analysis, we will enable the identification and isolation of desirable traits in new cultivars, often years faster than conventional breeding trial. 'It really is an exciting field of science which we are excited to be driving.' APPN is a plant science research network that is supported by the National Research Infrastructure for Australia program, and aims to measure the performance of plants efficiently and non-destructively. WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said the State Government would work alongside grower groups, universities, and research collaborators to help WA growers optimise their crop potential. 'This investment will help WA's grain industry to remain at the forefront of advances in research and WA's growers to increase yields,' she said. 'Grains production is becoming increasingly reliant on data-driven science to breed improved varieties that are suited to local conditions.' Field trials will be held at the Merredin Dryland Research Station with controlled irrigation and high-tech sensor systems to measure and monitor. The node in Northam will utilise drones that are equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, as well as mobile and ground-based instruments that will be used to monitor and measure crops. DPIRD senior research scientist Dr Hammad Kahn said the partnership with the UWA node and facilities in Merredin would 'accelerate the delivery of groundbreaking science' to farmers across WA. 'Joining the APPN national network allows us to deploy state-of-the-art mobile phenotyping units, which will improve our research efficiency and deliver real impact to WA's agricultural industry,' he said.
