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Drought-stricken farmers sent bills threatening RSPCA action by ‘heavy-handed’ Water Corporation

Zach RelphThe West Australian
The letters come as three farming areas have been declared water deficient in WA since past month.
Camera IconThe letters come as three farming areas have been declared water deficient in WA since past month. Credit: WA News

The Water Corporation has been accused of going too far by threatening to refer farmers with overdue water bills to the RSPCA.

Letters obtained by The West Australian show the Water Corporation warned it would restrict water access at properties with late accounts and notify the animal welfare group, if “immediate payment” was not made.

“The RSPCA will be notified of the reduced flow rate and they will need to determine if the flow of water is sufficient for the animals to remain on the property,” the letters said.

“If you ignore this notice, your water supply will be restricted without further notice.”

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Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MLC Rick Mazza raised Water Corporation’s RSPCA referral threats in the Legislative Council on Tuesday.

Mr Mazza said the letters disrespected farmers who were battling this year’s unusually dry conditions.

He said three farming areas had been declared water deficient in WA since last month.

“It was a heavy-handed approach and to threaten someone with referral to the RSPCA because their water had been cut off is inconsiderate,” he said.

“There are a lot of people in the agriculture region where water deficiency has been declared and those primary producers are already under pressure.”

Water Corporation customer and community manager Karen Willis said the letters have been issued by the State-owned entity for “at least a decade”.

Ms Willis said 10 farming properties had been sent the “last resort” notice within the last six months, but no farmers had their water supply restricted.

“Notifying customers of this as our next step has been one of the most effective ways to encourage people to contact us to make alternative arrangements,” she said.

Water Minister Dave Kelly has instructed the Water Corporation to stop issuing the threatening letters.

“After this issue was brought to my attention for the first time this week, I asked that this practice cease,” he said.

“As Water Minister, I don’t believe the implied threat of referral to the RSPCA is appropriate or considerate to WA farmers.”

Mr Kelly said he had asked new Water Corporation chief executive Pat Donovan to review the process for handling farmers’ overdue water accounts.

RSPCA WA chairwoman Lynne Bradshaw said the group was unaware of the Water Corporation-issued letters.

“We weren't aware these letters mentioning RSPCA were being used by the Water Corporation to threaten farmers genuinely experiencing hardship (and) we do not support it,” she said.

“Normally, in such circumstances, we would do what we could to assist those farmers with their animals.”

The revelations come as the Hollands Rock area, in the Great Southern, was declared water deficient by the State Government on Tuesday.

It followed water deficiency declarations at Mt Short, near Ravensthorpe, and Mallee Hill, near Lake Grace, last month.

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