By Chris Thomson | posted on October 19, 2018
SHENANIGANS surrounding the ever-changing name of the State environment department continued in Parliament last week when Environment Minister Stephen Dawson was moved to uphold the honour of the DBCA acronym.
Weekender readers may recall the running battle between Mr Dawson and Liberal MLC for South West Steve Thomas, which culminated in Dr Thomas during a Budget Estimates hearing requesting that the agency’s name revert from the current Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions “to either ‘DPaW’ or something with a useable acronym” (‘SW MLC calls BS over DBCA acronym’, 12 July).
On Thursday, the tussle continued under the unlikely cover of a Legislative Council debate on changes to the Strata Titles Act.
During the hitherto sombre proceedings, Mr Dawson explained that under the new Act the name of a strata title scheme may not include a swear word.
Alternatively, explained Dr Thomas – whose electoral region takes in the Great Southern municipalities of Albany, Denmark, Plantagenet and Jerramungup – a scheme name might include, for example, the words: ‘biodiversity, conservation and attractions’!”
“Those are not swearwords!” Mr Dawson retorted with a grin.
“I might put that to a division [vote]!,” Dr Thomas, who was chairing the Upper House at the time, warned wryly.
