Opportunity to reset agricultural relations with new Minister

The peak body for Tasmanian agriculture welcomes the appointment of Tasmanian Labor MP, the Hon Julie Collins to the position of Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry.

President of TasFarmers, Ian Sauer, expressed hope that this would be a renewed opportunity for partnership and collaboration between the industry and the federal government.

Mr. Sauer said, "We're looking forward to working with the new Minister and sitting down to talk about all things agriculture. In my view, it's great to have a Tasmanian Minister in such an important portfolio.

"We want to have a partnership and a collaborative working relationship with the Minister and her department. We've all got to work together as Team Tasmania.

"We know the Minister is a listener and thinker, which is terrific because we want matters that affect Australian agriculture to be well-considered and based on science, not philosophy.

"There have been some tensions between the agricultural advocacy sector and the Australian government on matters like the live sheep trade export ban and the proposed biosecurity levy. However, we're hoping that this can be a reset.

"Our farmers manage a bulk of the Australian landscape, and the agricultural sector is a major part of Australia's economic, social, and environmental well-being. We need the agricultural sector to be taken seriously.

“The right policy settings would provide farmers with clarity and certainty around labour, native forest management, and the EPBC Act reforms. These issues intersect with agriculture, making it crucial to address them effectively.

"Moving forward for Tasmania, we would like to see some certainty on irrigation funding for Tasmania, particularly for the Greater Southeast Irrigation Scheme before the election.

"Our wish list also includes a focus on the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme (TFES), ensuring the system is fit for purpose and accessible, investment in on-island meat processing, education, and the need for a sensible discussion on labour reform," Mr Sauer said.