Shadow minister Lachlan Hunter accuses Roger Cook of failing to prioritise agriculture on visit to Indonesia

Premier Roger Cook has been accused of failing to prioritise the agricultural industry during his recent visit to Indonesia and Singapore.

Mr Cook left for the ASEAN region on May 21 for a two-day visit that included engagements with the East Java Provincial Government and the Indonesia Australia Business Council East Java Chapter.

But shadow agriculture minister Lachlan Hunter said it was “deeply disappointing” Mr Cook did not hold meetings with more agricultural stakeholders in either country.

Mr Cook met with the operations manager of major importer of WA wheat and manufactures instant noodles, Bogasari, during his time in Indonesia.

His visit to Singapore included a round-table with about 30 members of the Singaporean and ASEAN business community, and the Invest and Trade WA Singapore office.

However, Mr Hunter said that he found it “staggering that while the Premier is promoting WA as a key trading partner, he had overlooked one of our most vital export industries.”

Mr Hunter said if the Premier was “serious” about agriculture, a “cornerstone of trade” between both nations, then he “must show up for it”.

“West Australian farmers have long built strong and trusted relationship across the ASEAN region, and ignoring the sector on the trip sends the wrong message to our trading partners and our producers at home,” he said.

“This was a missed opportunity to promote WA’s clean, green, high-quality agricultural exports — especially at a time when the industry is facing major challenges and uncertainty around future market access and bio-security.”

During the visit, Mr Cook twice met members of the Persebaya Football Club, which is visiting Perth for a soccer exhibition match in July.

Singapore is WA’s fourth-largest trading partner, totalling a trade value of $14 billion, with key exports including meat, gas, gold and petroleum.

With a total trade value of about $6.8 billion and making up almost a third of Australia’s trade, Indonesia is WA’s ninth-largest trading partner with main exports including wheat, iron ore, and petroleum oils and minerals.

But the Department of the Premier and Cabinet did not respond with specifics of any meetings with agricultural partners when approached by Countryman.

Mr Cook’s visit to the region marks 35 years of WA’s sister-state relationship with East Java that began on August 21, 1990.

In a press release provided prior to his visit, Mr Cook said he was “looking forward” to promoting WA’s trade alliance and boosting the State’s “longstanding” relationship with the ASEAN region.

“Indonesia and Singapore are crucial trading partners for WA — that’s why I’m prioritising this important region for my first overseas mission since the State election,” he said.

“The ASEAN region is a major export market for WA, with a variety of sectors including minerals, energy and agriculture, it is also a vital region for the continued economic diversification of the State.”

Federal Minister for Agriculture Julie Collins is expected to be in WA next week as part of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Cabinet visit.