New bio tax to hurt South West and metro families

August 23, 2018

New bio tax to hurt South West and metro families

Premier Mark McGowan admitted under questioning from the Liberal Opposition today he had no knowledge of a $50 Declared Pest Tax his Minister for Agriculture was planning to impose on property owners on the Perth fringe and throughout the South West.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture Ian Blayney said the planned new tax was to fund community volunteer groups to manage biosecurity issues.

“Flora and fauna pests are a significant issue in regional WA and this Government is trying to wriggle out of its responsibility to fund and manage that issue,” Mr Blayney said.

“Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan is trying to offload responsibility for funding pest control to property owners and then hand responsibility for managing that control to volunteer groups.”

Mr Blayney said funding already existed through National Resource Management grants for volunteer groups to assist with pest management.

“A number of local authorities across the South West have already indicated they will not co-operate by providing ratepayer information for the collection of this tax,” he said.

“Minister MacTiernan plans for this tax to apply not just to rural properties but also to family homes on the Perth fringes in areas such as Serpentine and Jarrahdale.

“Residents in those metropolitan fringes also know that the biggest bio pest control issues in their areas usually relate to pests on government-owned land such as forests and vacant crown land.”

Member for Darling Range Alyssa Hayden, who questioned the Premier, said the tax would add to the burden of households in her electorate who were already suffering under a $700 increase in household fees since the election of the McGowan Government.

“It is a sad reflection on the Premier that he knows nothing of a tax that his Agriculture Minister plans to impose on the families of Darling Range who sent him the clearest message possible
in the recent by-election that they cannot afford any more increases in fees and charges,” Ms Hayden said.

“If a 9.3 per cent swing against his Government isn’t enough to make the Premier listen it’s doubtful anything will.”

Ends