Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to update the House on an exciting agricultural initiative that is currently being explored by the Shire of Perenjori, which is in my electorate of Durack. Historically, Perenjori is an agricultural town in the heart of Western Australia's wildflower country in the north-east Wheatbelt region. Its key agriculture industries are wheat and sheep, but the town is also home to mining ventures, including Karara's magnetite operations. I was recently invited by the shire to attend a presentation by a leading expert in algae farming, Professor Kirsten Heimann from James Cook University, to discuss the feasibility of producing biofertiliser through algae chemical production both for local use and as a new market to drive this regional economy.

Algae farming is a relatively new concept in Australia which has had growing interest from various industries and stakeholder groups due to its ability to produce a variety of products, including animal feeds, products for human use, biofuels and biopolymers. The shire's proposed study would, however, focus on the viability of using algae to produce fertiliser to meet Western Australia's rising demand. Although the theory behind this concept has been well developed, the key determinant will be its capability to produce market quantities. My thanks to shire CEO Ali Mills and president Chris King for their invitation to attend Professor Heimann's presentation and for giving me the opportunity to support the shire and their initiative to create a sustainable, diverse and productive community.