The Decline and Fall of DPIRD

As we head towards the start of the next financial year your long suffering watcher of all things government has plowed his way through the fine detail of the State budget to see if there was any lights left on in the old Ag Dept.

In the past I used to write thousands of words detailing the budget woes of the Ag Deptbefore it became DPIRD, but now I just let the numbers do the talking. In short its cuts cuts cuts to most line items for DPIRD, with total service expenditure falling from $273m to $216m over the next four years.

No doubt the govt will point to the hundreds of millions fattening the bottom line but that’s all for the new building at Murdoch University which by the time it opens will be double the size needed for the staff that will remain.

I have no idea who writes DPIRDs budget paper spiel but they deserve a job on Donald Trumps team as they have delusion down pat.

Take this one for example

Reliable and cost-effective high-speed broadband in the State’s regions is critical for both households and businesses. Continuing investment in statewide digital networks underpins regional amenity, connection and opportunities for innovation, economic growth, and diversification.

The only problem is there is no budget for investment in new mobile networks, certainly not on the scale of the previous government that put up tens of millions every year to underwrite mobile towers to fill gaps in the bush.

Here is another one

In a relatively short period of time, the Department has seen rapid growth and increasing complexity in its program of works, stemming from the Government’s commitment to diversify and decarbonise the State’s economy.

Seriously ? If you check the line item Lower Carbon Grants and GreenTech Hub it shows the fundigg is being slashed from $14m to just $2m over the next four years. Obviously 2030 is no big deal to the state govt when it comes to targets.

How about this one

Primary industries is Western Australia’s second largest export sector, behind the minerals and energy resources sector, and provides the vast majority of Western Australia’s fresh food. Investment in research and development underpins growth, production and profitability of the State’s primary industries.

I look forward to the Department filling this page with all the new projects they are funding with real dollars not in kind over the next four years.? The page is yours for the taking.? Hint don’t talk up what you are not doing.

And I love this one.

The Department is responsible for the activation of the State’s Strategic Industrial Areas (SIAs) and facilitating a range of complex major priority projects, delivered in a timely manner, and with appropriate oversight, to drive economic outcomes for the State.

I have one question, where are they? How about this.

The Department is the lead agency for the implementation of Diversify WA and Future State: Accelerating Diversify WA, the Government’s economic development framework and targeted diversification strategy. As part of this work,

Woke madness has finally infected DPIRD..,Heather are your checking this?

Science, innovation and technology are identified as cross-sector enablers in Future State: Accelerating Diversify WA that underpins the State’s economic development, productivity, resilience and competitiveness.

What is cross sector enables…and more diversity… meaningless rubbish. Maybe Treasury read DPIRDs submission and that’s why they are cutting funding as they don’t understand what they are doing.

They are certainly not doing Regional Industry and Community Development Investment Facilitation as its set to fall from $166 m to 105m a year over the next four years.

Regional Skills and Knowledge development …falling $50m to $32m

Agriculture Fisheries and Biosecurity…falling $127m to $85m

But you will be pleased to know that the Average cost per hour to deliver regional industry and community development investment facilitation is $330.24 an hour !!

Not that the troops have anything to look forward to here is their future funding allocation its also falling from $253m, ?$244m, $240m ?to?? $204m

My advice take the package, there is nothing to look forward to other than mopping up the next Queensland fruit fly outbreak at least that’s funded in advance.

The rest can look forward to rattling around the empty ivory tower built next to the Gaza revolutionary students centre between the river and the sea at Murdoch Uni which is where most of the departments budget is allocated to costing each year $66m? $139m? $141m?? $24m.

For those who are sick of the endless rounds of budget cuts my advice is to follow the Minister out the door after the next reshuffle after the inevitable election win next year,

If you want to know where all the money is being spent all roads lead to Dept of Transport and the empty train carriges that swish past the new DPIRD building….. my guess is your current Minister will be looking to get on that train.