Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion moved by the member for Lyons. This is a matter of importance to all of us, and particularly to those of us from regional areas. We understand how important the issues like this are.

The points raised in this motion before the House by the member for Lyons are indeed valid: growth plans for the regions are a very, very good thing, and Labor certainly recognises that. But the member's motion today is an attempt to try to claim some sort of credit or to create a smokescreen that the Abbott government has actually done something so far for the Tasmanian fruit and vegetable industries. In reality, this motion does not say much about what the government has done except that it set up another task force, which came up with the eight recommendations.

The eight recommendations are not surprising, and acknowledge there has been a large amount of research already undertaken into how to further grow the fruit and vegetable sectors in Tasmania. I support the member for Lyon's sentiments in that the continuing importance of investment in the Tasmanian agriculture sector remains a traditional and sustainable source of economic development. So Labor recognise, and we have heard the speakers say this today, that agriculture in Tasmania is vitally important. As the member for Lyons points out in this motion before the House, in 2011-12 alone, the gross value production of fruit and nuts in Tasmania was over $100 million and vegetables over $213 million. Indeed, Tasmania is an important producer of fruit and vegetables, and we acknowledge how important agriculture is to sustaining the economy, particularly the Tasmanian economy.

The previous, Labor government recognised the importance of agriculture through strategic and long-term investments. They included our massive irrigation investments throughout Tasmania, which have resulted in increased production, security of supply and value-adding opportunities. The previous state and federal Labor governments also invested $220 million in 10 critical schemes across the state which are now enabling thousands of new jobs across Tasmania. In 2013, we committed $15 million to the Southern Highlands Irrigation Scheme, which would have secured a viable and sustainable water supply. This was of course abandoned by the current government. But we on this side of the House will continue to show bipartisan support for investment in irrigation in Tasmania, which is why we have been supporting the government's recent announcement of new irrigation infrastructure, building on the good work of the previous, Labor government. But it is very disappointing that, as the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development told Senate estimates recently, the Abbott government had chosen to use a $60 million cut to rail projects in Tasmania to pay for new irrigation projects in Tasmania. That is quite a disgrace.

The member for Lyons also speaks in his motion of the economic development potential of industries such as wine, dairy and aquaculture. In fact, it was the previous, Labor government that made significant strategic investments across Tasmania to ensure that we supported these emerging industries. Through more than a dozen investments, we unlocked significant jobs growth. These investments in Tasmania included $3.5 million for Huon Aquaculture to expand its Parramatta Creek factory and expand employment or the north-west coast—and I understand the factory will be open soon. What a fantastic achievement.

Another fantastic aquaculture project is by Tasmanian company Tassal. This company also secured funding under the same Labor jobs and growth program to help build a new factory. Another investment through the Tasmanian Jobs and Growth Plan was $400,000 for the Into Dairy Sustainable Dairy Development Project, supporting the state's dairy industry and creating 550 new full-time jobs—a great achievement.

The Tasmanian fruit and vegetable industry, like all agricultural industries, is seeking certainty and long-term policy settings, something the Abbott government promised before the last election but that just did not happen. This is another broken promise by the Abbott government, as farmers and industry await the long-expected agriculture white paper. The Abbott government promised to deliver the white paper within 12 months of gaining office. I quote from The coalition's policy for a competitive agriculture sector, released in August 2013:

The White Paper will be conducted by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and will report within 12 months.

Our White Paper will also provide a clear, well-defined and transparent strategic approach to ensure the agriculture sector remains a significant contributor to the Australian economy and local communities.

Well, we are still waiting. The white paper process so far has cost the taxpayer over $3 million and, quite frankly, appears to be on the never-never now. This is really disappointing. We have repeatedly seen the coalition and especially the Nationals continuing to abandon, in so many ways, regional Australia, which is calling out for this white paper that never appears.

Labor acknowledge there is great potential for the fruit and vegetable industry in Tasmania; however, that requires genuine policy settings, not just a task force review which is yet to apply any practical measures on the ground. That is what we want to see. I also believe it is time that the Liberal-National government stopped taking credit for the great work of their Labor predecessors in Tasmania and started acknowledging the fact that Labor have a proud and strong record in agriculture, not just in Tasmania but right throughout the nation. (Time expired)

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