Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think that the member for Hunter answered his own question, where he indicated that he is particularly concerned about the provision of information pursuant to this bill, namely, the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Amendment Bill 2016, when effectively he went to the bill. It is perhaps best summarised by saying to him that any and all information collected under this bill must be used for an activity related to rural research and development, or for biosecurity or national residue survey purposes. So the member for Hunter, in an attempt to find foul with the bill, has answered his own question. This information can only be provided in a circumstance where it is for a purpose related to research and development or biosecurity matters.

In any event, I rise in support of this bill. Perhaps that is not a surprise, given that I supported a bill in the very same terms during the course of the 44th Parliament—it is not a surprise to see me supporting it here at the beginning of the 45th. Mr Deputy Speaker Goodenough, you know that Barker is an agricultural hub for South Australia and, indeed, for the nation. It is home to some of our country's most fertile agricultural and horticultural assets and land.

Indeed, Barker hosts many of our nation's top primary producers: from farmers deep in the south-east on cattle properties to blockies in the Riverland growing late navels, we see the spectrum, if you like, of primary production across an electorate which is 68,000 square kilometres. Obviously, primary production employs the vast majority of my constituents: from small family-owned enterprises to large company-run farms, Barker is home to that full range of primary producers.

Farmers across my electorate, and indeed across the nation, are consistently searching for more opportunities and further development in research. In the last parliament I stood in this chamber and spoke of the importance of research and development, particularly in the primary industries sector. This importance has not diminished since I was last here in March. Rural research and development serves to help not only the producers of our nation but also our budget bottom line. For every single dollar that is invested by the government into rural R&D we see a $12 return over 10 years. That is a significant achievement: a one-dollar investment creating a $12 return.

As a coalition we remain committed to facilitating innovation across the agricultural sector. We have been laying the foundation to transition from the mining boom to the new, innovation-driven economy. This bill clears the constraints of the old economy, opening the channels of dialogue between rural R&D entities and the primary producers who fund and benefit from them. We are seeking to enable a productive dialogue between these two incredibly important entities for the next step in Australia's economy, opening the possibility for rural research and development corporations to identify and connect directly with the primary producers they serve.

This bill amends the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991 to allow for the distribution of levy payer information by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to rural RDCs for the development of levy payer registers. This decision comes on the back of numerous reviews and inquiries which have identified improved consultation with levy payers as important for the ongoing strength of Australia's R&D architecture. This consultation will enable producers and rural research and development corporations to collaborate successfully on the relevant issues.

Levy payers should have more of a say in how their funds are expended, and the rural research and development corporations should know who provides the levy and what their objectives are. This bill allows for a register, providing these corporations with the ability to identify and consult directly with producers on research priorities and levy expenditure, and the relevant allocation of voting entitlements.

We are introducing this bill to fine-tune rural R&D, allowing the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to allow levy-payer information to be provided to the Australian Bureau of Statistics and to distribute contact information of people who have paid or are liable to pay a levy or charge; and may include the amount of levy or charge on a leviable commodity.

This amendment is consistent with the government's Public Data Policy Statement, which commits to securely sharing data between Australian government entities to improve efficiencies and inform policy development and decision-making.

As I said earlier, all information distributed under the bill must be used for an activity related to rural research and development, or for biosecurity or national residue survey purposes. We are talking about greater situational awareness when discussing the primary production sector, enabling the government to better formulate future policy decisions in a targeted, focused and informed manner.

This bill is consistent with the government's reasonable and responsible approach to agricultural policy. It is only the coalition that understands the plight of rural and regional Australians and the importance of reasonable policy when it comes to agriculture. Today the coalition is delivering a better outcome for primary producers across the nation and, indeed, in my electorate of Barker. The provisions in this bill will create greater clarity for our primary producers, their representative bodies and their related research entities.

When this bill was introduced in the 44th Parliament it was well received by representative bodies, which I noted when I first spoke in support of the bill. Jed Matz, the CEO of the Cattle Council of Australia, welcomed the benefits of more communication between entities. He said:

This will have multiple benefits such as improved disease management and prevention, improved extension services, more targeted communication and policy.

The sheepmeat industry is also supportive of the legislation. The President of the Sheepmeat Council of Australia, Jeff Murray, said:

The introduction of this legislation is an important step in empowering industry representative organisations … Once passed, these amendments will enable peak bodies such as SCA—

the Sheepmeat Council of Australia—

to identify the industry issues and priorities of the levy payers we represent through better engagement with them and therefore empower us to oversight levy expenditure more effectively.

These are but a few of the many organisations supporting our legislation here today. Those opposed to the bill could not say they have received such endorsement from the primary producers of this nation. That is what is very interesting about the contribution we have just heard from the member for Hunter. I often wonder about the member for Hunter. He has won out with the opposition—a group that are effectively union dominated and overwhelmingly hail from the inner city or, at least, from cities. The member for Hunter is given the responsibility of speaking for the Australian Labor Party on questions of agriculture and the bush. He does a reasonable job and is an honourable advocate. But, frankly, it is very difficult for him to convince his fellow representatives from the Australian Labor Party to work for the interests of Australians living in rural and regional communities. That is why this bill is an example of the differences between our respective parties.

Aside from the National Party, with whom we are in coalition to form government, there are 14 members of this place who hail from rural and regional Australia. I am one of them. I love visiting our capital cities but I often say about Adelaide that the best view of it is in the rear vision mirror as I enter my electorate via the Adelaide Hills or the Northern Expressway through the Barossa. I see that some on the other side are giggling. But when you have assets like mine—the Coonawarra, the Barossa, citrus from the Riverland, the whole of the Murray in South Australia—it is not hard to see why those of us who visit capital cities are quite happy to leave them. I am a proud and parochial South Australian, so for me it is Adelaide. I am quite happy to leave it and return to the serenity and great beauty of regional centres.

When we talk about the differences between the coalition members of the House and those on the other side—and invariably I am talking about agriculture—I am reminded of one of the great failings of this place when those opposite were seated on this side of the chamber and my predecessors were in opposition. That, of course, was the live cattle export fiasco. That was a knee-jerk reaction, policy making on the run, which saw an industry decimated overnight. That was something we did not support, and would not support, because we are not about policy on the run or policy in any other way than by consultation, not reaction.

I eagerly anticipate the benefits this bill will deliver to agriculture. Our government will ensure a strong future for primary production in our nation. I commend the bill to the House.

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