The Nationals WA has slammed the Cook Labor Government for leaving Geraldton and the Mid West’s agricultural sector in the dark — with critical infrastructure and regional investment falling by the wayside, while Labor pours $217 million into a Perth racetrack that nobody wants.
This week, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Lachlan Hunter MLA joined Member for Geraldton Kirrilee Warr MLA in meeting with local growers, processors, and industry leaders across the Mid West. Everywhere they went, one message was clear:
Labor has turned its back on regional WA and the industries that drive it.
Mr Hunter said it was unacceptable that one of the State’s most productive regions continued to be starved of investment.
“Farmers and industry leaders in Geraldton and the Mid West have told me they’ve been left behind since Labor came to power nine years ago, thanks to a government with no plan, no vision, and no understanding of our primary industries,” Mr Hunter said.
“While the Cook Labor Government is busy spending $217 million on a racetrack in the city, there’s still no funding for basic infrastructure like reliable water and power upgrades in one of WA’s key agricultural hubs.”
Mr Hunter said Labor’s misplaced priorities had also seen funding cuts to the Grower Group Alliance, the very network of local grower groups driving innovation and research partnerships across the regions.
“Labor has cut support to the people doing the real work of growing our economy. They’ve ended the live sheep trade, defunded grower groups, and left farmers behind, and that says everything about their priorities,” he said.
“It’s no wonder regional WA feels forgotten. When you’re cutting grassroots agricultural research while splashing hundreds of millions on vanity projects in Perth, it’s clear where your focus lies.”
Meanwhile, Ms Warr said long-standing issues around power reliability, water access, and infrastructure upgrades had only worsened under Labor.
“Upgrading the transmission line is a no-brainer for businesses and residents alike, but this Labor Government continues to ignore issues that aren’t in Perth,” she said.
“Water has been a concern for years. Our farmers are resilient, but without proper investment, they’re being asked to do the impossible.
“Our road network in the Mid West is failing, and all these issues come down to the State Government having their priorities in the wrong places.”
The Nationals WA is calling on the Cook Labor Government to redirect its focus and funding back to the regions that keep WA’s economy running: not pet projects in the city.