[Thursday, 25 October 2001] 4913 cut back in fire frequency in the Yalgorup National Park and we believe that is one of the factors directly contributing to the problem there. In other areas fires have occurred and there has been a decline in the tuarts. Also, the severity of the decline varies. That has given us some insight into the more likely factors. For example, in the area around the Yalgorup National Park, we know that there is a shallow lens of ground water underlying more salty water and it may well be that part of the problem is that the trees are tapping into that salty water. I shall talk a little about where the tuarts are located. They are basically spread across the coastal plain from the north of Perth to the Busselton area. The majority of tuarts have been cleared in the past for both agricultural and urban development. There is now 11 000 hectares of tuart forest and woodland in the crown estate. The Yalgorup National Park has a total area of 13 000 hectares of which around 3 180 hectares is tuart forest. Tuarts are the dominant species in the Yalgorup National Park. As the member said, borers are present in those trees. As the member also said, there is a history of decline in the trees that was first noticed around 1997. At that time people thought that the trees would bounce back but clearly they have not. I have had a number of meetings with the Department of Conservation and Land Management at which it was agreed we need more research, more advice to landowners and more action. I can tell the member for Dawesville that I have emphasised that point to CALM. Mr Masters: Will it happen? Dr EDWARDS: It will happen. I shall refer to some of the current actions. I have asked CALM to set up and head an interdepartmental committee. An important area that it must examine is the whole area of water use and what is going on with ground water to determine the extent to which that is contributing to the problem. That might be an issue in the member for Dawesville’s electorate. The Water and Rivers Commission has undertaken detailed work that indicates extraction has occurred according to the terms of the licences that have been granted; therefore, that should not be a problem. However, we must consider whether there is more subtlety in the ground water contributing to the problem that must be further investigated. I have asked that the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation be invited to participate because I believe it can also give us information. I have asked that all relevant departments come together and that the committee be led by CALM. We therefore anticipate departments under the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure’s area to be involved, particularly Main Roads, as a lot of tuart trees are protected in roadside verges and we need to make sure that we continue to protect them. I have asked CALM to take more action. CALM commissioned a report in 2000 that provided more insight. However, I have asked CALM what it is doing about acting on the recommendations of that report and what needs to be done so that it can more speedily act on those recommendations. CALM is rejigging a pamphlet issued in 1999 for direct advice to be provided to land-holders. I have asked CALM, following complaints from people in the south west, to compile a list of names and phone numbers of people so that it knows directly who to contact if it wants general information about tuarts and specific information about treatments in particular areas; that will be provided. Mr Marshall: Does the minister know if the comment being touted around town is true that CALM has not monitored the watertable in the Yalgorup National Park since 1996? Dr EDWARDS: The Water and Rivers Commission generally audits the monitoring of the licensed bores but I will follow up on that. I have also asked CALM to undertake more work into the treatment that local landowners can give to trees on their property. I assume that there are local landowners in the member’s electorate with reasonable size blocks of land that have three to five tuart trees which, if they are dying, is upsetting to those landowners. Although it has been said that individual action cannot do a lot to help a tree, if landowners agree to do that, it is worth doing. A number of people need to take different measures to find out what works best in particular areas. I do not know whether there is one particular solution because I believe the causes are multifaceted. I have also asked CALM to work with conservation groups, land care groups and progress associations to get the message out, to get feedback and to see what we can do with both individuals and groups at the state level and at the level of looking at and working with other agencies such as the CSIRO. I have also asked CALM to take part in the forthcoming tuart seminar to spell out exactly what we do know, what we do not know, how we are addressing what we do not know and what treatments and advice we can give to landowners to ensure that we preserve the remaining tuarts that we have. PERRY LAKES STADIUM Grievance MR WATSON (Albany) [9.57 am]: My grievance is to the Minister for Sport and Recreation about the deterioration of Perry Lakes Stadium. I remember back in 1962, when I was very young at the time, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games at Perry Lakes Stadium. Before that we used to run at the old Leederville Oval where Herb Elliott and Merv Lincoln had their epic clash. In 1962 people came from commonwealth countries all over the world to attend the British Empire and Commonwealth Games at a world-class facility at Perry Lakes, which was probably the best facility in Australia at that time. Most members may remember Seraphino Antao, the slick Kenyan who won the 100 and 220 yards race. Kenyans were not renowned as distance runners then, so he was an exception. George Kerr 4914 [ASSEMBLY] was the silky smooth 440-yards winner. Someone who caught my eye in those commonwealth games was a Kiwi called Peter Snell, who won the 880 yards and the mile. He may have planted the seed in my old brain or in the toes of my running shoes when I saw how easily he ran and the contempt he had for his rivals. Murray Halberg, who beat our own Ron Clarke, stood out because he had a withered arm. He was a tremendous athlete and was probably one of the first of many defeats that Australia’s Ron Clarke had at the commonwealth games and Olympics. I remember when our own Western Australian Trevor Bickle won the pole vault in front of the stand. I remember the late Ian Tomlinson, who won the hop, step and jump. These are all highlights from the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1962. Over the years, athletics in Western Australia has had some great champions. One person I forgot to mention was Dixie Willis from Western Australia who was a great athlete and who won the 880 yards, beating Marise Chamberlain of New Zealand. As we all know, Australians love to beat Kiwis. Over the years there have been some tremendous athletes. I can remember being at Perry Lakes the day that Margaret Burvill, our own Western Australian, broke the world record for the 220 yards. It was an exceptional day when the wind was blowing just right. Anybody who has had an opportunity to run at Perry Lakes would know that the wind always blows up into the main straight when the Fremantle doctor comes in. The day that Margaret Burvill broke the world record was an incredible day. The wind was exactly right, she flew out of the blocks and flew around the bend. That was one of the few world records ever broken at Perry Lakes. We have had some great athletes over the years, not only Margaret but also Joyce Bennett who used to have some tremendous races with Margaret. Keith Wheeler, who is now the padre for the Special Air Service and who would be a very busy man at the moment, used to have some tremendous races over the years. When I used to chase him home, people said it was the devil chasing the padre. These were the days before steroids and all those sorts of things. Mr Dean interjected. Mr WATSON: I was the only person who was offered steroids when I had a steroid test. I used to go to the gym there in the olden days. It had a biceps section and a “nonceps” section. I used to work out in the “nonceps” section; and, as members can see, it has built me up into what I am today! However, I am sure if I am here for some time in the parliamentary dining room, I will be built up even further! I have seen how the member for Dawesville, who used to be a tremendously fit athlete, has expanded into a very prominent member of the community. I hope I can live up to him in most ways, but perhaps not his girth. Mr Marshall: It is embarrassing, I will admit. Mr WATSON: That was meant in the nicest possible terms. Mr Marshall: I will start training tomorrow.