Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Last week the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture and Industry announced an inquiry into innovation and productivity in agriculture. We all know that people are the key to innovation and increased productivity. In Australia, one of the greatest opportunities for innovation and getting low-cost high returns is through working with all partners in the farming business. Today it gives me great pleasure to welcome to Parliament House two members of a group that do this work more efficiently and more effectively than most others. To Ilse Mathews and Alison Brinson, members of the Yarra Ranges women in horticulture group: welcome to Parliament House and thank you for the work that you do.

Australian horticulture and other groups can take a lead role in putting submissions to this inquiry. They can tell us what we need to do to increase productivity and take up innovation right across the agriculture sector to ensure that in the 21st and 22nd centuries we have thriving, vital, innovative and competitive agriculture. WinHort in Yarra Ranges and across Australia are innovators, they are educators, they are supporters, they are advocates, they are lobbyists and they organise. Today I would like to acknowledge and thank you for all the work that you have done, particularly with other founding members Carolyn Burgi and Vicki Violi. I would like to thank Horticulture Australia for the vision you have shown in leading the way and encouraging and supporting women to take up their role. My call to women in horticulture is: help all the others— (Time expired)

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