Better mobile communication tops Christmas wish list of Christmas for WA farm lobby groups

Both WAFarmers and the Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) said there was growing concern that the lack of good quality, reliable mobile service was severely hindering rural businesses.

PGA president Tony Seabrook said he did not doubt that better mobile communication would be on most regional Western Australian’s wish lists this festive season; it was just not the Government’s.

“The Government doesn’t seem to want to go there,” he said.

“In a world where connectivity is the absolute epitome of efficiency, to be driving through Western Australia, where you can’t even get mobile phone coverage, is frustrating.

“But the really critical thing is, it’s all about the internet, it’s all about access.

“And throughout most of Western Australia, it is so poor that if those sort of levels were inflicted upon our city cousins, there would be an uproar.

“I’m not hoping for much from the man in red; I’m hoping for something from the Premier and Government of Western Australia.”

Mr Seabrook’s list of wishes is extensive: land tenure reform, the successful repeal of the GM Free Crop Areas Act, the removal of payroll tax and stamp duty and secured investment in infrastructure on it.

He is also seeking a proactive approach to addressing wild dog control, addressing of Native Title reforms and Industrial Relations Reform.

Also on his list is a wish for the Federal Government to address the current distribution of GST to WA, the corporatising CBH, and the construction of port facilities at all his sites.

WAFarmers president Dale Park said that along with better mobile communications, he hoped the festive season and 2016 would bring him a solution to rural firefighting concerns and the ‘grain on rail’ situation.

He said he hoped: “the Government doesn’t do something silly with port privatisation”.

Mr Park’s number one wish list item is rain — at the right time, of course.