Alannah MacTiernan

Long-suffering readers know my refrain: Western Australia can build stadiums, museums and Metronet tunnels, yet still cannot build a permanent home for its agriculture department. Call it DPIRD or the old Ag Department, or — as I prefer — the Department of People, Inclusion, Re-education and Diversity. Titles change, logos change, ministers change. The reality stays the same. For decades we have shuffled staff around Perth like sailors swapping hammocks on a leaking frigate, while