Beginning of the end or the Department of Agriculture? - WAFarmers

THE announcement by Premier Geoff Gallop of the amalgamation of the State’s research and development facilities between the Department of Agriculture, the University of WA, Murdoch University and Curtin University has been greeted with scepticism by WAFarmers.

WAFarmers president Colin Nicholl said Department of Agriculture services had been eroded by Government stealth over a number of years and indications were that this practice would continue into the future.

"Our greatest fear is that the Department, which in the past has delivered critical services to agricultural industries across the State, is dying a death of a thousand cuts and in the not too distant future will have completely lost its identity and relevance," he said.

"If there is a positive to be drawn from the Premier’s announcement it is that the integration will cut back on the duplication of services in research areas and improve efficiencies.