❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks detailed information regarding the Minister for the Wheatbelt's responsibilities, interactions, and oversight of the Wheatbelt Development Commission (WDC). The answer provides a general overview of regional ministers' roles and refers to existing documents for specific details.

I refer to the Wheatbelt Development Commission (WDC) and I ask:(a) What are the Minister’s formal policy responsibilities as Minister for the Wheatbelt in relation to the WDC;(b) What legislation, regulations, Cabinet decisions, Premier’s circulars or written directives define or describe the Minister’s role as Minister for the Wheatbelt;(c) What matters can the Minister decide (if any) regarding the WDC without reference to the Minister for Regional Development;(d) What matters regarding the WDC must be referred to the Minister for Regional Development;(e) How many times has the Minister visited the Wheatbelt region in their capacity as Minister for the Wheatbelt since appointment:(i) for each visit, please provide the date, town/location and purpose of the visit;(f) How many formal meetings has the Minister had with the:(i) WDC Chair since appointment;(ii) WDC CEO since appointment;(iii) full WDC Board since appointment; and(iv) Minister for Regional Development regarding the WDC since appointment:(A) please provide the date of each meeting for question f (i) - (iv);(g) Is there are standing meeting schedule (monthly/quarterly etc) for the Minister to meet with the WDC:(i) if so, please provide it; and(ii) if there is no standing schedule, why not;(h) What reporting does the Minister receive from the WDC (ie. monthly dashboards, quarterly reports, annual reports etc?);(i) Does the Minister have any role in budget proposals or business cases advanced by the WDC;(j) Does the Minister have any role in appointments or selection of WDC Board Members or employees;(k) How much funding has the WDC received in each financial year since FY2021/22;(l) How much funding is the WDC set to receive over the next three financial years; and(m) What measurable targets or KPIs does the Minister expect the WDC to deliver against over the next three years?

(a-m) Regional communities are a key focus of the Cook Cabinet, with the introduction of a dedicated Minister for each region. The primary responsibility of each Minister is to ensure regional communities have access to local job opportunities, as well as the services and infrastructure they need. This supports the Premier’s expectation that Cabinet remains connected to the needs of regional Western Australians. Regional Ministers visit each of their regions frequently and meet with stakeholders on each trip to their region. They also have regular meetings with their Regional Development Commissions. The Minister for Regional Development is responsible for the administration of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s regional development functions, and Regional Development Commissions. However, Regional Development Commissions will work closely with the Minister for each region to ensure they are supported in their roles to advocate for their region in Government. Funding and financials of Regional Development Commissions can be found within their annual reports. Government’s expectations for the Regional Development Commissions are outlined in the “Our Priorities for Western Australia 2025-2029” document and the Regional Development Framework 2026.