Royalties for Regions Bill in Parliament

The State Government took a major step forward today in ensuring its commitment to regional development in Western Australia with the introduction of the Royalties for Regions Bill by Regional Development and Lands Minister Brendon Grylls into State Parliament.

The legislation included the establishment of a Royalties for Regions Fund and a new body, the Western Australian Regional Development Trust, to provide independent advice to the Minister on the fund.

Minister Grylls said the Bill would provide a legislative base for the operation of the Royalties for Regions program.

"Under this legislation, an amount equal to 25 per cent of WA's annual mining and onshore petroleum royalties will continue to be made available each year for regional infrastructure and services," he said.

"It will place a new focus on people living in regional WA and will allow the significant benefits that our State receives from the mining and petroleum industries to be reinvested in the future of regional communities.

"It will ensure that a portion of the wealth generated in the regions stays in the regions."

Mr Grylls said the WA Regional Development Trust would be a statutory body of up to six members and would include at least one member who is a chairperson on one of the State's nine regional development commissions.

"Local decision-making is a fundamental part of Royalties for Regions and all members of the trust would have the relevant knowledge and experience necessary for it to carry out its functions," he said.

"The trust will provide me with independent and impartial advice on matters relating to the operation of the Royalties for Regions Fund and will be required to report to Parliament each year."