Ricky Muir (Victoria, Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes that:

(i)   the Lane family has transformed Coolcalalaya Station into:

  (A)   a holiday destination for thousands of families each year,

  (B)   a property with tourist infrastructure, such as a licensed restaurant, campgrounds, accommodation and hundreds of kilometres of 4WD tracks, ranging from scenic to challenging,

  (C)   a location that now hosts local events which draw tourists into the region from all over Australia,

  (D)   a location used by schools located in the midwest of Western Australia for school camps, and

  (E)   a retreat where service members suffering mental health issues can stay free of charge to help with their recovery,

(ii)   the Lane family has also built an off-road driver training business based around this property that:

  (A)   teaches the ethics and responsibilities in relation to off-road driving, and

  (B)   delivers nationally-accredited training via local technical and further education to: the general public, the Western Australia Department of Agriculture and Food, and State Emergency Service volunteers,

(iii)   on 15 September 2015 the family was advised from the Pastoral Land Board that they needed to cease trading immediately and remove all possessions and all trace of their business by 30 June 2016, and

(iv)   the Lane family state that they have the support for their activities from: members of the local Indigenous community, Northampton Shire, the Federal Member for Durack (Ms Price), the state Member for Geraldton (Mr Blayney), the state Member for Pilbara (Mr Grylls), the state Member for Moore (Mr Love), and the Western Australian Deputy Premier (Ms Harvey); and

(b)   calls on the Federal Government to:

(i)   acknowledge the positive social and economic benefits the Lane family contributes to their local community, and

(ii)   request Western Australian coalition senators to contact Mr Redman MLA and ask that he grant a section 91 licence to allow the Lane family to remain at Coolcalalaya Station while the issues surrounding the general lease application are resolved.