Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion. I also thank the shadow minister and member for Hunter for bringing this really very important motion before the House today. Indeed, soils sustain livelihoods. They sustain life on earth as we know it. Indeed, as the member pointed out, the biodiversity that exists within soils rivals biodiversity of the above-ground species that we are all—for obvious reasons—more familiar with.

It is worth repeating, as is highlighted on the website fao.org—a very good source of information—that soil is the basis for food, feed, fuel and fibre production, and for the services to ecosystems and human wellbeing. It is the reservoir for at least a quarter of global biodiversity and, therefore, requires the same attention as our above-ground biodiversity. Soils play a key role in the supply of water and in resilience to floods and droughts. The largest store of terrestrial carbon is in the soil, so its preservation may contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation. The maintenance and enhancement of global soil resources is essential if humanity's need for food, water and energy security is to be met. It has been highlighted through the opportunities that have been provided to farmers and the agricultural areas within this country more generally as part of the Emissions Reduction Fund that there are projects all around the country now that have taken advantage of the opportunities within the ERF to demonstrate their capacity to sequester carbon dioxide. As we are all well aware, there were 47 million tonnes at a cost of $13.95 a time, some of which was sequestered through soil carbon, which I look forward seeing more of.

As the member for Hunter pointed out, within the International Year of Soils 5 December is World Soil Day. There are five pillars of action, which is part of a global soil partnership:

1- Promote sustainable management of soil resources for soil protection, conservation and sustainable productivity

2- Encourage investment, technical cooperation, policy, education awareness and extension in soil

3- Promote targeted soil research and development focusing on identified gaps and priorities and synergies with related productive, environmental and social development actions

4- Enhance the quantity and quality of soil data and information—

which I think is something that Australia does pretty well—

data collection (generation), analysis, validation, reporting—

and so forth, and harmonisation of how that data is collated around the world.

Soil biology is a critical part of healthy soil, whether it be applying organic composts, fertilisers and bio amendments; encouraging natural biological cycles and nutrient transfer; adopting holistic management; implementing time controlled grazing within agricultural systems; using grazing management and animal impact as farm and ecosystem development tools; retaining stubble, or performing biological stubble breakdown; constructing interventions in the landscape or waterways to slow or capture the flow of water that can be so damaging from time to time; fencing off waterways and implementing water reticulation for stock; investing in revegetation, pasture cropping, direct drill cropping and pasture sowing; changing different crop rotations; and incorporating green manure and undersowing of legumes. These are all things that can enhance our agricultural systems.

I have been speaking to Bill Chilvers from my electorate—a very practical man who is obviously a very capable and knowledgeable man in respect of Tasmania's soils—and Lee Peterson, who does all of the work for Huston's, a business that grows lettuces in the south of Tasmania. Indeed, these are the things that sustain our livelihoods. Run down the asset and the capacity and the capability of our soils are compromised. Improving soils is about improving organic matter, making sure that our baseline capacity within those soils is maintained. It would be remiss of me, in the short time that I have left, not to mention the potential for biochar, particularly the work done by Mr Frank Strie, who also lives in my electorate.

Debate adjourned.

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