Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to advise the House that, following National Agriculture Day on 21 November, I am here to champion the cause of Australian farmers right across this great country. Early mornings, dirty hands, muddy boots, country roads, working in acres not hours through winter chills and summer heat, in drought and in flooding rains—a farmer's work is never done. Agriculture touches the lives of all here in Australia through the food we eat, through the natural fibres that we wear and through the economic prosperity that we all enjoy. Each year, the average Aussie farmer feeds 400 Australians and, through our free trade agreements, 600 globally. There are over 85,000 agricultural businesses in Australia, generating around $60 billion in farm gate income and supporting 1.6 million jobs across the supply chain from the city to the bush.

The Australian agriculture industry deserves our sincerest thanks for the remarkable contributions it makes to the nation. I would particularly like to thank those farmers in my electorate of Wright. Our region is home to so many wonderful primary producers: dairy farmers, graziers, vegetable growers and processors. Together, they support our local businesses, local employment services, hospitals, schools and public transport sector. As a result of our vibrant rural and regional economies, we survive today. If our agricultural sector is strong, our communities are strong.

Yet the plight of our farmers is all too often ignored, with many struggling due to drought, draconian vegetation management laws in Queensland, and mental health issues. Suicide rates in the bush are 40 per cent higher than they are for our cousins in the metropolitan areas. Why? Farming is a crucial job that comes with many pressures that go unnoticed by most. Eighty-three per cent of Australians would describe their connection with farming as distant or nonexistent. This is made more obvious by the recent protest at Highchester Meats in Beaudesert, demonstrating against the jobs and livelihoods of farmers and abattoir workers. This is an industry that supports our local community and Australia as a whole, a fact that the protesters are clearly ignorant of. Milk doesn't come from a bottle, eggs don't come from a carton, peas don't come out of the freezer and carrots don't come from a plastic bag; they come from my electorate. I encourage all Australians to support their local formers, and I encourage those who think of themselves as disconnected from the agricultural industry to visit any of the farms in my electorate. You'll find that my growers and processors are wonderful people, and their contribution to this nation needs to be acknowledged more.

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