Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

There is no doubt that Tasmania is a state and an island in economic transition. That transition has been taking place for some time now, and there is no doubt that transition has created some economic and social pain in the island state. It must be true that, if Australia has a significant opportunity feeding the growing middle classes of Asia, then Tasmania must also have before it an enormous opportunity—maybe more than most. I am sure all of us in this debate this morning will agree that the best way for Tasmania to make the most of those opportunities is for us all to be working together, in harmony, in the best interests of those who live in Tasmania.

Tasmania, more than anything, needs a plan—a strategic plan for agriculture generally and, of course, a strategic plan for its fruit and vegetable industry. Indeed, Australia needs a plan. It has become more and more apparent in the last half-a-dozen years that, if we are to make the most of those opportunities in Asia, industry—which will, in the end, produce the wealth and the jobs, not government—will need strategic direction and strategic guidance from the government of the day.

That is why the former Labor government produced this very comprehensive document—the National Food Plan—which is designed to both set objectives and goals for the future and where we might need to be in terms of output, productivity and profitability out to 2025 and set forward how we as a nation might get there. We also did a lot of work on the Feeding the future report, with a focus on the relationship between Australia's agriculture sector and that in China and, indeed, how we might work together to address the looming global food shortage. It focused on how China and Australia, including Tasmania, might work together to ensure that, as we grow to nine billion people, we do not face increases in starvation around the globe. We started that process in government. The Asian century white paper was also a significant component of that ongoing work in developing a national plan.

The National Food Plan included a commitment that it be reviewed every five years so that we could keep our eye on the ball, move with the times and stick to those objectives. Unfortunately, since the election of the Abbott government—

Mr Hutchinson interjecting—

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