Darren West MLC, WA Labor Member for the Ag Region | Politician

Darren West MLC, WA Labor Member for the Ag Region

Phone: +61 8 9964 1001

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25.01.2022 Making regional roads safer! The WA Labor Government is targeting the following Black Spots Shire of Cuballing... Wandering-Narrogin Road/Springhill Road and Nebrikinning Road. Realign curved section of Narrogin-Wandering Road to improve road geometry, realign intersection with Springhill Road and Nebrikinning Road, install signs and line marking. Shire of Kulin Rabbit Proof Fence Road/Muller Road Reconstruct and widen T-intersection, cut down hill on Muller Road approach to improve sight distance, build up embankment on Rabbit Proof Fence Road, install signs and delineation. Shire of West Arthur Collie Lake King Road/Rajander Road. Widen intersection and all approaches. Collie Lake King Road/Farrell Road. Widen intersection and all approaches.

24.01.2022 MERREDIN MOBILE OFFICE THURSDAY: Got an issue you’d like to raise with your State Government MP? I’ll be at the Merredin CRC between 2 and 3 tomorrow, Thursday October 1.... Feel free to drop in, no appointment necessary. If you are unable to make it along, call Jodi our Northam office on 96211999. You talk, I listen. We’re here to help.

24.01.2022 NARROGIN CLEANS UP IN 2020 TIDY TOWNS AWARDS: Congratulations to Narrogin, Wongan Hills, Corrigin and Boddington on your success this year. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners at today’s Keep Australia Beautiful WA’s Tidy Towns awards. So many fantastic volunteers from regional and remote Western Australia doing fabulous work!... https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au//Tidy-Towns-2020-Awa

23.01.2022 TIER 3 IS BACK! Love your work Rita Saffioti MLA The Tier 3 lines that were closed by the Barnett Liberal-National Government in 2014 are back on the agenda. I’ve never given up on Tier 3, we’ve still got a lot of work to do but today is a great day.

23.01.2022 WE’RE INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO PROTECT CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SUBBIES: Our building and construction industry plays an absolutely critical role in our State’s economy creating jobs for West Aussies and building the infrastructure that builds our communities. This week, our Government introduced the Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Bill 2020, to improve the rights and protections of subcontractors in the industry. ... These laws will help to ensure payment is made on time to those carrying out construction work or supplying related goods and services across the State, by introducing a mandatory retention trust scheme. This will protect subcontractors' retention money from being misappropriated or lost altogether in insolvency at each level of the contracting chain. The Bill also means registered building contractors with a history of ripping off subcontractors can be removed from the industry. We made a commitment to delivering these reforms at the 2017 State Election, and today our Government takes another step forward in ensuring a fairer system for WA subbies.

22.01.2022 7 NEW CASES, ALL FROM THE BULK CARRIER SHIP OFF PORT HEDLAND, ALL QUARANTINED ONBOARD THE SHIP. This is our WA COVID-19 weekend update for Sunday, 27 September 2020. The Department of Health has reported seven new cases of COVID-19 overnight. These are the seven cases announced yesterday, all related to the Patricia Oldendorff vessel off the coast of Port Hedland. They will remain on board the vessel for now, and their health will be monitored. ... ----- - Current statistics - New active cases: 7 Total WA cases: 676 Total WA recoveries: 651 Active cases: 16 ----- - Testing - Anyone in WA will now be assessed for a COVID-19 test if they present with ANY of the following: - a fever of 37.5C or above - a documented history of a fever in the last few days - an acute respiratory infection (e.g. shortness of breath, cough, sore throat) - acute loss of smell or taste If you have these symptoms, please get tested, and help us identify every case of COVID-19 in WA as early as possible. To find a testing location, please visit: https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/COVID-clinics ---- Official information regarding COVID-19 in Western Australia - www.wa.gov.au/covid19 WA Department of Health information www.healthywa.wa.gov.au National Coronavirus Helpline 1800 020 080 WA COVID-19 health and information and advice - 13 COVID (13 26843)

22.01.2022 WA CONTAINER DEPOSIT SCHEME STARTS TODAY Around 1.3 billion containers are used in WA each your, that’s $130 million that’s now available to community groups, schools and clubs every year. The McGowan Government scheme will also create local jobs and reduce litter, especially along our roadsides.... To learn WHAT is eligible, WHERE you can return and HOW your organisation can be involved, here’s the link: https://www.containersforchange.com.au/wa/

22.01.2022 FROM OUR PREMIER MARK McGOWAN: All this year, when we've faced an important decision to keep WA safe from COVID-19, we've followed the health advice, and it has served us well. We've worked together, we've all done our bit, and we've kept WA safe and strong.... But we're not out of the woods yet. The COVID-19 pandemic is worse than ever around the world, and an outbreak is still a real threat. So today I need to ask, once again, for all Western Australians to follow the health advice. We’re implementing the precautionary measure of mandatory contact registers at a range of venues and businesses across WA - starting next Saturday, 5 December. It’s a decision we’ve made following consultation with industry and in consideration of the long term challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having contact registers will mean, in the event that we do have cases of COVID-19 in the community, that our team of contact tracers can act quickly to identify people who might have been exposed. And as we've seen in other outbreaks, that is one of our most important safeguards. It's a slight inconvenience, but it's really not a big ask. Signing in on a contact register only takes a few moments, or just seconds if you are using the SafeWA app. Those few seconds could help prevent an outbreak from spreading - and that could literally save countless lives. The restrictions we've seen this year haven't been convenient, but they have worked. So I'd like to thank everyone in WA for their efforts through this crisis, and I’d like to thank you all for your continued patience as we address these ongoing challenges in the months ahead.

22.01.2022 A careful and cautious approach to easing border restrictions with Victoria and New South Wales.

21.01.2022 VALE SUSAN RYAN. Susan made an enormous difference to the lives of millions of Australians. Thoughts are with family, friends and colleagues.

21.01.2022 The number of Electric Vehicles on WA roads is increasing rapidly. They are an important technology and it's vital that our networks keep up. That's what our $21m Electic Vehicle Strategy is all about - and under that plan it will soon be possible to drive from Kununurra to Esperance in an EV. Supporting the uptake of EVs in WA will create local jobs, cut emissions and reduce pollution. It just makes sense.

20.01.2022 There’s a hint of Christmas in the Ag Region......

20.01.2022 Slowly but surely, WA Labor is winding back the Liberal/National privatisation of public services. If you want your state owned assets to remain in public hands, you need to vote for Mark McGowan and WA Labor.

20.01.2022 Last week I hosted Peter Tinley MLA, Minister for Fisheries, Housing, Veterans Affairs and Asian Engagement in Jurien and Cervantes. It was great to catch up with members of the Jurien Bay RSL Sub Branch over a cuppa at the Jurien Jetty Cafe to discuss how we can help with their new building. Minister Tinley was himself a Captain in the SAS, so the stories were flowing! The sub branch has 38 returned servicemen and women along with 37 Affiliate and around 60 social members and are always looking for more. Here’s the contact details if you’d like to know more: https://www.rslwa.org.au/branch/jurien-bay/

20.01.2022 RAVENSTHORPE NICKLE MINE RE OPENING BIGGER AND BETTER: More local jobs because local jobs are our #1 priority.

19.01.2022 I always enjoy the chance to promote regional WA in our State Parliament. Recently I had the opportunity to highlight just a few of the commitments from the 2017 State Election that have been delivered for Geraldton. You will note the opposition don't like it when you have something real to use as an example instead of empty promises and plans that were never delivered.

19.01.2022 SOUTHERN CROSS HAS A NEW POOL Fantastic to welcome Mick Murray MLA Minister for Sport, into the Ag Region once again, this time to officially open the $5.5 million Southern Cross Aquatic Centre. This project was made possible with joint funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation Community Sport and Recreation Facilities Fund and the Shire of Yilgarn.... It does get a little hot at times in Southern Cross and this will provide a great family facility for generations to come. Special thanks to everyone involved in the project with special mention to the workers at builders Cooper and Oxley on a job well done. https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au//Summer-swimming-on-

18.01.2022 NEW McGOWAN GOVERNMENT FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAWS: Yesterday, two new offences came into effect in Western Australia to protect victims of family and domestic violence. Research tells us that non-lethal strangulation is one of the strongest indicators of an increased risk of homicide. ... There are often no visible injuries, but it can still have severe medical consequences for the victim. To reflect the seriousness of this conduct, our new law against ‘suffocation and strangulation’ means it can be charged and prosecuted as a specific criminal offence. Persistent family violence is now also a criminal offence, recognising that physical and psychological abuse against a partner often forms a pattern of offending. It applies to an act of family violence against one victim on three or more occasions, over a 10-year period. These changes are part of the McGowan Government’s ongoing efforts to stop family and domestic violence in the community. They put WA at the forefront of criminalising this behaviour. By holding perpetrators to account, we can save lives.

18.01.2022 GERALDTON TANK MURAL PROJECT: Well done to students from both Nagle and Geraldton Senior and of course the fabulous Sandra Carr for making this project happen. It was my pleasure to make a donation to cover the cost of the paint. A great outcome.

16.01.2022 COLLIE THE MOUNTAIN BIKE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD? Mountain biking is one of the world's fastest growing sports - and it's easy to see why. It takes riders on thrilling tracks through spectacular locations, which also means it gets people out to regional areas and supporting local towns and businesses.... We're taking the initiative to build more than 120 kilometres of new trails near Collie to turn the region into a world-class mountain biking destination - so it's good to hear that the community is so excited to see them take shape.

15.01.2022 JURIEN IS GETTING A NEW SKATE PARK: Thanks to $1.1 million of State Government funding though LotteryWest and from the Shire of Dandaragan, there’s going to be an ace skate park beside the sea at Dobbyn Park. Today I was joined by Shire President Leslee Holmes, Carla Blake from the local school Board and the Member for Moore and Councillors and staff to officially turn the first sod of this long awaited project.... It was great to see the local youth get to have a say in their local skatepark. Really looking forward to opening the project in a few months. Regional WA does better under WA Labor.

15.01.2022 NEW BORDER ARRANGEMENTS FROM MIDNIGHT:

15.01.2022 I was honoured to speak to the Condolence Motion for the late Jim Brown. Jim was the first WA Labor Member for the Agricultural Region, having previously been elected as the Member for Merredin-Yilgarn and Member for South East Province. One of the first phone calls that I received when preselected was from Jim, who was a great source of knowledge and advice. It was also really nice to have Jim’s family present. Vale Jim Brown, a Country Labor legend.

14.01.2022 Are you, or a young person that you know, the next member of our WA Ministerial Youth Advisory Council? Nominations have now opened for positions on the McGowan Government’s youth council, which provides direct advice to the Minister for Youth on important matters relating to young people in WA. Information on the council, including how to apply, can be found at www.communities.wa.gov.au//ministerial-youth-advisory-coun

13.01.2022 Respect starts with you. It’s time to stop violence against women.

11.01.2022 We’re building trains in WA again!

11.01.2022 WAMFEST MARCH 2021 Would you like to be on the big stage? Applications close December 16, call our offices in Geraldton on 99641001 or Northam on 96211999 if you’d like help with your application.

11.01.2022 What a fantastic effort by Premier Dan Andrews and everyone in Victoria.

11.01.2022 Mark McGowan is fighting Clive Palmer on behalf of all Western Australians. Our Premier is keeping WA Safe and Strong.

10.01.2022 This is our WA COVID-19 update for Wednesday, 25 November 2020. ---- - Current cases -...Continue reading

09.01.2022 CHINA VOWS TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2060: Renewable technology is set to be a major COVID economic recovery industry. With an abundance of wind, solar and wave energy, along with everything you need to make batteries and hydrogen cells, WA is well placed to take advantage of this quantum shift.... Renewables are coming in a big way and the McGowan Government is ready!

09.01.2022 Great story, well done Shannon. Wander Out Yonder

08.01.2022 SAFE WA APP - KEEPING WA SAFE AND STRONG: We’ve just released SafeWA, a free app which will provide businesses with a digital COVID-19 contact register system. SafeWA is endorsed by the Department of Health and includes key features such as unique QR codes for venues which patrons can scan to register their attendance. ... Data will be encrypted at the point of capture, stored securely and only be accessible by authorised Department of Health contact tracing personnel, should COVID-19 contact tracing be necessary. The app is being provided as a free, easy, contactless solution. A paper-based register system will also be available. To learn more and download the app visit safewa.health.wa.gov.au.

08.01.2022 The McGowan Government is getting so much done across regional WA.

07.01.2022 This is our WA COVID-19 weekend update for Saturday, 26 September 2020. The Department of Health has reported one new case of COVID-19 overnight related to overseas travel. The case is in hotel quarantine. On top of the returned traveler above, we can also report that seven additional crew members on board the Patricia Oldendorff ship have now tested positive to COVID-19. They will remain on board the vessel for now. As these cases were confirmed after our 24-hour reporting c...ycle ended, they will be included in tomorrow’s total case numbers. ----- - Current statistics - New active cases: 1 Total WA cases: 669 Total WA recoveries: 650 Active cases: 10 ----- - Testing - Anyone in WA will now be assessed for a COVID-19 test if they present with ANY of the following: - a fever of 37.5C or above - a documented history of a fever in the last few days - an acute respiratory infection (e.g. shortness of breath, cough, sore throat) - acute loss of smell or taste If you have these symptoms, please get tested, and help us identify every case of COVID-19 in WA as early as possible. To find a testing location, please visit: https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/COVID-clinics ---- Official information regarding COVID-19 in Western Australia - www.wa.gov.au/covid19 WA Department of Health information www.healthywa.wa.gov.au National Coronavirus Helpline 1800 020 080 WA COVID-19 health and information and advice - 13 COVID (13 26843)

07.01.2022 Geraldton Hospital redevelopment is well under way. Here’s the latest update.

06.01.2022 Got an opinion on where this road should be? Then have your say by following the link below.

05.01.2022 Spent a great day in Merredin Attended the Eastern Wheatbelt Biosecurity Group AGM and discussed ways that we can make their work controlling wild dogs easier. Also met with Shire of Merredin President and CEO and wIth the Merredin Community Resource Centre Inc Manager, Chair and Deputy Chair, held a mobile office and rounded our the day with the good men of the Merredin Community Men's Shed Inc where we talked about our plans to reopen rail, renewable energy, ways to get more people to move to Merredin and other blokey stuff. Thanks to everyone for a great day, I’ve now got plenty of homework to get on with! Look forward to returning soon.

04.01.2022 POWERING OUR FUTURE: Kalbarri to benefit from McGowan Government microgrid. Read all about it here:

04.01.2022 Western Australians are taking up renewable energy at a staggering rate. That is great for consumers and fantastic for the environment - but it poses new challenges for our grid. Put simply - if we don't act now, increased pressure on WA’s electricity system could result in significant blackouts in coming years. Batteries are clearly shaping as key to the future of energy - so to help tackle this challenge, we're looking to install a BIG battery for our grid.... Expected to be Australia’s second biggest battery, the proposed 100 megawatt big battery will be bigger than 20 tennis courts, side-by-side, and have the capacity to power 160,000 homes for two hours. It's set to be housed at the decommissioned Kwinana Power Station, and the project is expected to create around 100 WA jobs. The big battery will support integration of more renewable energy and improve grid security. It can be charged during the day, when the sun is shining and energy is plentiful, and discharge this energy when it’s most needed during the afternoon and evening peak. Synergy will operate the battery, which will support our existing generation plants that are not designed to fluctuate in response to high levels of renewable energy in the grid. It is expected that if feasible, a contract could be awarded next year and the battery could be operational by late 2022.

02.01.2022 FROM THE PREMIER: As of this morning, after 222 days, Western Australia’s hard border arrangements are no longer in place. We have now cautiously and safely transitioned to our controlled interstate border regime, which are still strict and unprecedented controls that will continue to protect us all.... While the hard border has played a crucial role in keeping our State safe and stopping the spread of COVID-19, I know that it has been very difficult for many WA families. I understand how hard it has been to be separated from your loved ones - I wish I could have seen my elderly parents who live in New South Wales. But to anyone who has been in this situation, I’d just like to say this: I couldn’t be more proud of how WA has responded to this incredibly difficult year. When we look back at this unprecedented time in our lives, you can all reflect on the role you played to protect our State, our friends, our neighbours and our livelihoods. Everyone has had to make sacrifices, and some have had to sacrifice more than others. Ultimately though, those sacrifices made Western Australia the envy of the world and put our State in an incredible position for the future. In the coming weeks, thousands of WA families will finally be reunited. I also know that some of you may not be able to travel across at this stage, particularly if you are unable to quarantine for the required time for travellers from NSW or Victoria. Like all of you, I’m hopeful that the rapidly improving situations in those States may well mean that we’re able to provide more good news for those families in the near future. But I will also say this: Whatever decisions we make from here, as with all decisions we’ve made to this point, will only be made in line with the expert health advice. If that means reimposing hard border restrictions, I will not hesitate to take that step. We won’t let our guard down we just can’t afford to become complacent.

01.01.2022 Get 10 cents back for each eligible container when WA's container deposit scheme starts next week. Containers for Change WA kicks off next Thursday, 1 October, with 200 refund points across the State. Find out more and find your nearest refund point at www.containersforchange.com.au/wa