Author: Andy Dolphin

CAL Greens MP Diane Evers is calling on the State Government to compensate farmers when genetically modified (GM) canola contamination causes them to lose their organic certification.

She recently tabled a petition in the WA Legislative Council with nearly 1,000 people calling for laws to compensate those farmers.

“The Greens call on the Government to consider creating a farmer protection fund that would compensate landholders suffering economic loss, extra costs or harm from GM canola contamination of their land,” she said.

“GM canola crops, and those tainted with GM, fetch a lower price per tonne on world markets.”

Albany grain broker Chad Jefferis said GM canola was currently trading at about $30 per tonne less than non-GM canola on the world market, but the difference had been as high at $70.

“The EU has a GM canola ban,” he said.

“Domestically there isn’t a big difference.”

Mr Jefferis said GM canola made up about 15 per cent of the total canola crop in the Albany-Esperance zone he serviced through Grainbrokers Australia.

Ms Evers said WA farmers who wanted to retain their clean, green farming reputation and the premium price it demanded deserved government support.

“It’s clear from cases such as that of Kojonup farmer Steve Marsh that the rights of non-GM farmers, who outnumber farmers growing GM, are not sufficiently protected now,” she said. “The current State Government position on GM crop farming does not provide certainty to organic or GM-free farmers, whose livelihoods continue to be threatened by the spread of GM canola.

Ms Evers said she had an open mind about how such a fund would be financed and run. “I believe South Australia has put up a suggestion that there would be a dollar per kilo levy on the price of GM seed so that’s one option that could be considered.”

The petition had 967 signatures.

ALBANY Regional Hospital (ARH) was recognised as a Waterwise Champion at the recent inaugural Waterwise Business Recognition event held in Perth.

The hospital has been a long-time participant in the program and continues to demonstrate a commitment to finding new ways to save water.

ARH facilities manager Andy Smyth said the hospital achieved gold status in both 2016 and 2017, saving more than 35 per cent of their regular water use each year.

“This is a wonderful result for the hospital and shows our commitment to water efficiency,” he said.

Mr Smyth said the hospital had worked hard to reduce their water use, including reprogramming the reticulation to allow for rainy days and cooler weather.

“You simply don’t need to use as much water when it’s cooler, and our gardens are still healthy and are looking good,” he said.

“We also installed flow restrictors throughout the facility. It is just a matter of tweaking the settings – two minutes less here, 25 per cent less flow there – to get the best possible result.”

WA Country Health Service Great Southern Regional Director David Naughton said it was fantastic to see Mr Smyth and the facilities management team recognised for the work they did to maximise water efficiency.

THE recent landmark exhibition of Aboriginal artefacts in Albany received national recognition at the Museums and Galleries National Awards last week.

The Western Australian Museum was awarded for the Yurlmun: Mokare Mia Boodja exhibition in the Indigenous Project or Keeping Place level 2 category.

Co-curated by the Albany Heritage Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation, the Yurlmun exhibition saw the return of objects collected from the Albany area in the early 1800s by settlers.

These included objects collected by local surgeon Dr Alexander Collie, who became close friends with significant Menang man Mokare.

The objects, including stone axes, spears, spear throwers and knives were loaned by the British Museum and displayed at the WA Museum Great Southern and were viewed by nearly 23,000 visitors.

WA Museum CEO Alec Coles said the exhibition showcased the significant shared history of Albany’s Menang people and early European settlers through the historic objects on display.

“Yurlmun is an astounding project that forged new ground in relationships between collecting institutions and source communities,” he said.

“The loan of a whole collection of British Museum objects back to Country and to their place of origin, is unprecedented. It has never happened before in Australia.”

Mr Coles said he was grateful to the British Museum as well as colleagues from the National Museum of Australia and the Menang people.

“It represents a significant step in reconnecting museum collections with people and place, and in reconnecting communities with their cultural heritage,” he said.

“The story of friendship and the sharing of gifts between friends is also something that everyone can relate to.”

Mr Coles said the exhibition introduced the Emerging Curators program where young Aboriginal men and women could participate in the program by working alongside lead curators and specialist WA Museum curators.

“The Emerging Curator program has been so successful we are expanding it to other Aboriginal communities across the State,” he said.

“Albany’s Shona Coyne and Lindsay Dean provided great insight into the exhibitions through the Emerging Curator program.”

Minister for Culture and the Arts David Templeman said the awards recognised the Museum’s commitment to co-curating content with communities to share their stories.

“The Museum does a fantastic job working with communities and bringing shared stories to the people. These rewards are well deserved,” he said.

Judges referred to the Yurlmun exhibition as an excellent project leading the way in how museums and communities can work together.