York farmer Tony Seabrook steps down after 11 years as Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA president

The Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA has ushered in a new era, as its longest-serving president Tony Seabrook stepping down after 11 years. Mr Seabrook, the vivacious and vocal head of the organisation, handed the baton to Kojonup farmer and long-term vice-president Digby Stretch late last week. Murchison pastoralist Ashley Dowden is the new vice-president in a win for representation for those in the State’s often-forgotten Southern Rangelands. A farmer at York, Mr Seabrook said his decision followed months of discussions with Mr Stretch, who he said now “felt ready” to take on the role after 11 years as vice-president. The changing of the guard comes after a challenging year for the association, which revealed in January it had discovered “serious financial misconduct and a major funding shortfall” before entering administration. The PGA has a rescue plan to work its way out of administration, but a police investigation is still underway. Mr Seabrook said he would remain on the lobby group’s board and was still a staunch believer in the “free enterprise” mission the PGA has had since founding in 1907. “I hold a high regard for the policies and principals (of the PGA), and when I was asked to take on the job it was very easy to step into the role,” he said. After joining the PGA in the 1970s, Mr Seabrook became a board member in 1980 after being “incensed” by the regulation in the WA lamb market, which meant individual farmers could not independently market or sell their meat. He was among the PGA members that led the fight against the nation’s former Australian Wool Reserve Price Scheme, which operated from the 1970s to 1991 and set a floor price for wool, as well as the statutory marketing of wheat from the 1930s to 2008. “The PGA has always fought for free market principles,” Mr Seabrook said. “And it has also been a matter of getting government out of our business. “It is so important for farmers to operate in a free market, and I think over time… we have put hundreds of thousands of dollars into the pockets of individual farmers.” As well as big-ticket achievements, Mr Seabrook — who took on the role from former president Rob Gillam in 2014 — said the organisation had given him “so much comradery and friendship” with volunteers “all dedicated to the cause”. “People give so much of their time to the PGA of WA and the industry… and that is purely through wanting to better it,” he said. But Mr Seabrook said “without a doubt” his proudest achievement was leading the fight against the State Government’s planned overhaul to the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021. The Act, which was repealed in 2023, sparked outrage among WA’s farming community for fear it would impose confusing new rules, costs and penalties on routine farm activities that might affect cultural heritage sites. “The Act had so much potential to cause harm… to hear WA Premier Roger Cook stand and apologise for the legislation, that was the first time I had seen that happen,” he said. Mr Seabrook said the PGA had emerged “leaner” and was heavily focused on improving its governance this year. A rescue plan, accepted by creditors in March to form a deed of company arrangement, has given the organisation a pathway to exit administration. “I believe we have emerged stronger from this,” Mr Seabrook said. He believed agriculture’s “next big fight” would be over private property rights. “That is an area the government is really eager to interfere in… and an area I am really interested in,” he said. The PGA board meets monthly and is led by Mr Stretch, with Mr Dowden and Judy Snell serving as vice presidents residents and Chris Patmore as treasurer. Other board members include Mr Seabrook, Calum Caruth, Digby Corker, and Wayne Duffield. A separate policy group — which meets quarterly and coincides with board meeting days — comprises office bearers, and commodity chairs. This includes Mr Patmore (livestock), Rob Beard (grains), Ashley Dowden (pastoral), and Gary Peacock (private property rights) plus members Allan Wilson, Peter Boyle, Trevor Hodshon, Gary McGill, and Murray Grey.