Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that:

(a) agriculture is a cornerstone of Australia's social, economic and environmental sustainability, and plays an essential role in our nation's prosperity;

(b) in the 2023-24 financial year, the agriculture sector generated over $82 billion, driving Australia's economy forward;

(c) the agriculture sector employs 257,000 Australians; and

(d) over 90 per cent of the fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, milk, and eggs available in Australia are produced locally, safeguarding our nation's food security; and

(2) notes that:

(a) the Australian agriculture sector is facing increased pressure due to this Government's destructive actions;

(b) this Government's decision to scrap the dedicated agriculture visa has left the industry with severe and widespread workforce shortages;

(c) Australia's water security is being jeopardised by this Government's reckless slashing of over $7 billion from critical water infrastructure projects; and

(d) this Government's misguided agriculture policies have driven food prices up by 12 per cent, piling even more financial strain on everyday Australians.

I rise today to move a motion in recognition of our agricultural sector, a cornerstone of Australia's social, economic and environmental sustainability. Agriculture is not just an industry; it's an essential part of who we are as Australians. Our farmers work tirelessly to put food on our tables, contribute to our economy and protect our food security. In the 2023-24 financial year alone, the agricultural sector generated over $82 billion, bolstering our economy and creating jobs. In fact, this sector employs 257,000 Australians, with many working in our rural and regional communities, ensuring that over 90 per cent of our fresh produce is grown right here on Australian soil. However, our farmers are facing unprecedented challenges due to the actions of this government, which consistently disregards the needs of those who keep our food supply stable and affordable.

The Albanese government's decision to scrap the dedicated agriculture visa has left a gaping hole in our workforce. Industry leaders have warned of a workforce shortfall of 172,000 people, yet these calls for support have gone unanswered. Instead, Labor has chosen to rely on the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility scheme, which does not adequately meet the needs of our farmers. Our farmers need workers to keep operations running. This government has left them stranded. This isn't an issue just for farmers; it's an issue for every Australian. Without a secure workforce our farmers can't produce more, which means supply goes down and prices go up. Every Australian feels the cost of Labor's choices at the checkout.

Labor's actions have not only undermined our workforce but also compromised Australia's water security. Water is the lifeblood of agriculture, and, by cutting over $7 billion from critical water infrastructure projects, Labor is threatening the very foundation of our farming communities. They stripped $483 million from the Urannah Dam project in Central Queensland, an initiative that would have secured water for farmers across Capricornia, yet, in blatant hypocrisy, they were quick to cut the ribbon on Rookwood Weir, a coalition funded project. This inconsistency is symbolic of a government that prioritises inner-city voices over the needs of our rural and regional communities. These reckless cuts go beyond budgetary decisions. They're an assault on the entire agriculture supply chain. Every dollar invested in water infrastructure yields enormous benefits, ensuring that our farmers can withstand droughts and changing weather conditions. By pulling this funding, Labor aren't just jeopardising the livelihoods of farmers; they're threatening the stability of rural communities and the broader Australian economy. Under this government, food prices have risen by 12 per cent, adding even more strain to Australian families, while Labor claim to support Australians struggling with the cost of living, their agricultural policies are doing the opposite.

These policies are raising grocery bills for every household in the country, impacting everyone from families in our cities to pensioners in the bush. Our farmers bear the cost of misguided policies every day, and, in turn, so do Australian families. When Australians see their grocery bill, they should be reminded that this government is driving those prices up. Every price increase at the supermarket reflects Labor's misguided policies. Farmers aren't the only ones paying the price. The entire agriculture supply chain, the regional communities that depend on farming, and every hardworking family being hit with higher grocery bills are feeling let down by this government.

On 10 September 2024, thousands of farmers gathered for the National Ag Rally on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra. This rally was a powerful display of the sector's frustration with Labor's anti-agriculture agenda. Farmers from communities across Australia came together, united by a shared message: the Albanese government's policies are hurting those who feed our nation and drive our economy. I stand with our farmers and our agricultural communities in Capricornia and across the nation. Agriculture is not a political bargaining chip; it's the backbone of our nation. It supports families, sustains businesses and fortifies regional Australia. Our farmers have earned our respect and support. We must ensure that their needs are prioritised, not dismissed. It's time for this government to stop turning its back on agriculture and start recognising the essential role it plays in our prosperity, security and identity. Today I call on this House to acknowledge the importance of Australian agriculture and to reverse the harmful policies that are jeopardising the future of this vital industry. Let's keep farmers farming.

Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Colin Boyce (Flynn, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion, Deputy Speaker.

Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture, I know the work that goes on in Australian agriculture. It is a great honour to be chair of such a valuable committee in this place. It not only gives us great insight into agriculture, but we get the opportunity to meet with many farmers and many peak agricultural groups and talk through issues that are really important to them.

Not only am I proud to chair the agriculture committee, but also I married the son of a farmer, and we have maintained the friendships from his farming upbringing, over years and years. So it's not only as a politician that I get to talk to farmers. I have a lot of farming friends and they are a fantastic source of information about, really, what's going on in Australian agriculture.

The other aspect of my exposure to farmers is my electorate. I have this incredible electorate, where we have a broad base of people who still farm—not only land based farming but also fishing, and oysters, too; there's dairy and beef cattle farming. We even grow turf in my neck of the woods. I know how passionate Australian farmers are and how hard they work, not just in my fantastic electorate of Paterson but right across this broad and incredible country.

Some of the country is indeed difficult. It's been a terrific season, but we all know that we're often only a couple of months away from a dry summer that can change things. In the viticulture industry, you can be one frost away from losing everything, and that's happened too.

In Australia, the gross value of agricultural production is forecast to rise by $3.7 billion to $86.2 billion in 2024-25. It's $92.1 billion if you include fisheries and forestry production. It's the third-highest result on record. So, whilst those across the aisle want to spread fear, we know that our agricultural industry is growing. The facts just don't lie. It puts us well on track to meet the industry target of $100 billion by 2030. We want to support our farmers. We want to support our entire ag sector to get to that $100 billion target by 2030, and we're on track to do it. According to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 72 per cent of our agricultural production is exported, and that's a magnificent thing.

Again, speaking from experience, we spent nearly 12 months last year doing a report on food security in Australia, and we also looked at how we help secure food for our neighbours—and this is a great thing—with our major products being sugar, beef, lamb, rice and canola, going to nations like China, Japan, Indonesia and the United States of America. We are doing a fantastic job in this country of not only feeding our own people but also helping to feed the rest of the world.

The Australian bureau of agricultural and resource economics prepared a report that detailed what governments should examine to resolve the tensions that have been emerging in the industry as our economy modernises and as it decarbonises. And we know that we've got very progressive farmers in Australia. They're at the cutting edge. They embrace technology like those in no other nation. They know what's going on in their industry, and they know that, in our government, they have people who want to listen and want to help them produce more food and fibre—not only, as I said, for our country but for the rest of the world.

We're working to ensure that this industry remains contemporary and vibrant and can continue to access skills. There's been a lot of commentary around labour. We opened the first jobs and skills council of agribusiness, which will work through the challenges facing the industry now and into the future. We've also invested in fee-free TAFE, which has supported over 20,000 students to gain agricultural industry skills. So we are putting the money where it needs to go in terms of agriculture. We know we need more people working in the field, and we're doing that, and that extends beyond the farm and ag sector.

We know that our grocery stores are often a place of great consternation for farmers. That's why we're putting policies in place, through the ACCC, that are looking at the mandatory code of conduct to ensure that our farmers do get a fair price—and so do consumers at Australian stores. I couldn't be prouder of the work we're doing in ag.

Colin Boyce (Flynn, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am a farmer and grazier, and I'm very pleased to second this motion, moved by my colleague, the member for Capricornia, which acknowledges that agriculture is the cornerstone of Australian social, economic and environmental sustainability and that it plays an essential role in our nation's prosperity. In the 2023-24 financial year, the agricultural sector generated over $82 billion, driving Australia's economy forward. The agricultural sector employs 257,000 Australians, and over 90 per cent of the fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, milk and eggs available in Australia is produced locally, safeguarding our nation's food security.

The hardworking men and women of Central Queensland and Wide Bay have a strong history of feeding this nation. Whether it's beef from Proserpine, citrus from Mundubbera, sugar cane from Gin Gin, eggs from Mount Morgan, milk from the Boyne Valley, wheat from the central highlands or sorghum from Taroom district in Central Queensland, Wide Bay has a thriving agricultural industry. According to the Queensland government's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland's contribution to the national economy in 2022-23 included 96 per cent of sugar cane, 67 per cent of grain sorghum, 33 per cent of cotton, 94 per cent of bananas, 70 per cent of macadamias, 70 per cent of sweet corn, 65 per cent of avocados, 58 per cent of lemons and limes, 53 per cent of fresh beans, 53 per cent of capsicums, 50 per cent of mandarins and mangoes and 48 per cent of the national cattle herd.

The motion further notes that the Australian agricultural sector is facing increased pressure due to this government's destructive actions. The government's decision to scrap the dedicated agricultural visa has left the industry with severe and widespread workforce shortages. Australia's water security is being jeopardised by this federal government's reckless slashing of over $7 billion from critical water infrastructure projects. This government's misguided agricultural policies have driven food prices up by nearly 12 per cent, piling even more financial strain on everyday Australians. Central Queensland and Wide Bay have felt the brunt of antifarming policies of both state and federal Labor governments, including the introduction of vegetation and reef legislation laws that essentially took away farmers' and graziers' rights to manage their own land.

The 2.5 years of this Labor government has felt like a lifetime for the agriculture industry of Central Queensland and Wide Bay. Labor recently proposed a biosecurity tax for Australian farmers. This levy was proposed as a way to charge Australian farmers for the biosecurity costs of importers. That is probably one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard, and that says a lot, considering that this is a proposal by the Labor government. Why would the Australian government tax their own farmers to pay for foreigners to bring products into this country? Ultimately, if the legislation had been passed, it would mean that farmers would be forced to pass on costs, which would meant families would have to spend more on fresh food produce. I'm proud of the Nationals, farmers and industry successfully, after months of campaigning, helping to scrap this tax, which was due to be implemented from 1 July 2024. Labor's fresh food tax would have hurt families at the checkout as well as 84 agricultural commodities which would have faced taxes to raise $150 million over three years.

Furthermore, we've seen this Labor government cut vital water infrastructure funding. The decision to slash funding to restore the Paradise Dam in the North Burnett and Bundaberg region was a kick in the guts not only to the Wide Bay area but to the agricultural industry as a whole. The Bundaberg area produces 25 per cent of Australia's fresh food, and hundreds of millions of dollars of agricultural investment has been put at risk due to the Labor government's inexcusable decision to slash the funding to restore this vital piece of water infrastructure. We're also seeing this Labor government approve wind and solar projects at the fastest rates in Australian history, and this is to the detriment of the agricultural industry. There are countless so-called renewable projects littering and occupying prime agricultural land, and it is a simple fact that you can't eat wind turbines or solar panels. We've seen successive governments send our manufacturing overseas to countries like China. Do they want to see us all eating our fruit and vegetables from China as well? Agriculture is one of the biggest industries, if not the biggest industry, in Central Queensland and the Wide Bay, and it must be supported by both state and federal governments and not hindered, so that it can remain sustainable for generations to come.

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Capricornia for raising this motion, seconded by the member for Flynn, to highlight the importance of the agricultural sector in Australia. You don't grow up the son of a butcher, the grandson of a butcher, the brother of two butchers and even the nephew of a butcher in the Balonne Shire—famous for sheep, cattle, wheat, cotton, grapes, rock melons—without a keen appreciation for farmers and graziers and the role they play in our national economy and all the prosperity that flows from that. In fact the first dollar I earned was in a shearing shed, and I also cotton chipped my way through high school and teachers college and even after, when I wanted to go backpacking around Europe. My schoolmates were the sons and daughters of cotton growers and beef cattle farmers, and I still value my connections with people working the land there today, like Ross and Paul Brimblecombe, David Moon, Peter Haslem and my very good friend Wayne Long, who's still working hard on Billy Knight's property today. We put out a book together last year.

The critical nature of the agricultural sector is also re-enforced whenever I visit the Brisbane Markets in my electorate of Moreton. They are the third largest of Australia's six central markets. Over 4,500 people work or do business there daily in Rocklea at 170 different businesses: fruit and veggie growers, wholesalers, provedores, food processors, retailers, independent supermarkets and the food service industry. It's a vital part of South-East Queensland's fresh produce supply chain, with an annual trade in excess of 700 million kilograms of produce. That's more than $2 billion worth of fruit and vegetables. There is no chance that China is going to be taking over that market any time soon, as I told the member for Flynn.

The good news is that the outlook for Australia's agricultural sector is very, very positive. The gross value of agricultural production is forecast to rise by $3.7 billion to $86.2 billion in 2024-25, the third-highest result on record. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry cite research from ABARES which indicates further positive signs for both livestock farmers and crop growers. Flynn has actually been a little bit quieter since Labor came to office. Strong global demand is driving increased production values in livestock and livestock products. Beef saleyard prices are forecast to rise by 29 per cent over 2024-25 and lamb saleyard prices by 24 per cent in the same period. This growth is bolstered by increased domestic processing capability and higher export prices. Value-adding by slaughtering here is giving jobs to Australians.

This is mirrored by anticipated crop production values rising despite lower global grain and oilseed prices. In 2024-25 winter crop volumes are expected to rise by 17 per cent thanks to timely rainfall in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. I'm not saying that Labor made it rain, but many are—weather is a national responsibility! With figures like these, it is understandable that Australia consistently ranks as one of the world's most food-secure nations. We grow about 90 per cent of our own food. An ACIL Allen study highlighted the roles of diversified production, mature supply and delivery chains, and a stable society in bolstering domestic food security and maintaining a vibrant and prosperous export market. A nation of 25 million people produces enough food and fibre for 75 million people.

The Albanese Labor government acknowledges the cost-of-living pressures that Australians are facing at the moment. That's often felt most keenly at the checkout when we buy our fruit and veggies. Labor is committed to ensuring that Australians are paying a fair price for groceries but also that farmers are receiving what they deserve for their hard work. In terms of emissions reduction, a fair return for farmers ensures that there is no cultivation wasted. We don't leave fruit rotting on the vine or plough produce back into the fields. Labor is taking a range of measures to ease these pressures in the supermarkets sector. We've instigated a broad competition reform agenda, which includes funding for Choice to conduct quarterly price monitoring reports. That is particularly appreciated by my electorate of Moreton, who want to find out where to shop to save a few dollars. We're progressing legislation to implement the biggest change to our merger reform system in almost 50 years. We're directing an additional $30 million in funding to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to deal with dodgy practices in the supermarket sector. There is much more to be done. Get on board, National Party.

Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A federal government has two main jobs. One: they keep their borders secure and their citizens safe. Two: they keep the citizens fed. This Albanese Labor government is failing at both. Agriculture is a cornerstone of Australia's success and should be one of Australia's biggest industries. If you look back through time, agriculture—the production of livestock and fresh produce—allowed millions of residents to live in cities. Think about it. If you live in the heart of Sydney or Melbourne and go to the shops, who supplies those apples, that lettuce or broccoli or that nice, juicy piece of fillet steak? That comes from a farmer. That farmer can sometimes be thousands of kilometres away from you and often has never visited your city. Every day, that farmer continues to ensure that we have fresh Australian produce on our tables. In fact, in 2023-24, the agricultural sector generated over $82 billion and employed over 250,000 Australians.

Food security should be at the forefront of everyone's minds. Ninety per cent of the fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, milk and eggs available in Australia is produced locally. However, the destructive policies from the Albanese Labor government are putting this in jeopardy. The government has shut down the live sheep export, putting hundreds of businesses at risk and increasing their financial stress, all because of politics. It's not because the market ceased—no, no, no, no, no! It was purely because of some crazy idea between Labor, the Greens and the Teals. Then the government imposed a container levy that our farmers have to pay for. Can you believe that? Our farmers must pay for the biosecurity of our international competitors. I shake my head in disbelief.

The price of energy is one of the biggest issues facing our farmers. Labor's reckless race to renewables is doing absolutely nothing to drive down the energy costs. Just this week, ecological experts are calling for a halt to new large-scale renewable projects. The Queensland government's former principal botanist, Jeanette Kemp, said there would be a considerable backlash if the public were fully aware of the extent of land clearing and fragmentation of valuable habitat to make way for wind farms. It's about time Australians fully learned the hypocrisy of Labor, the Greens and the Teals. They have brainwashed millions of Australians, including teachers, professors and our younger generation, claiming that they are the only ones who care about the environment. Well, it's here in black and white. They are the ones destroying it. They won't allow farmers to clear land to increase their viability—to plant, to grow—but they will allow clearing for steel structures. It's just bizarre. Life has never been easy under Prime Minister Albanese. Food prices have risen by 12 per cent. There is no water security because of Labor cuts of over $7 billion to critical water projects. The worst part: 34 per cent of Australian vegetable growers are considering leaving the industry. That's within the next 12 months.

There is a better way. A coalition government will reinstate the live sheep export trade. We will bring back the ag visa and fix the PALM scheme so it's working appropriately and effectively. We will ensure the 88-day backpacker visa remains in place, and we will not introduce a container levy that Australian farmers have to pay for. We will fix the energy crisis in this country by creating a mix of energy sources, instead of Labor's reckless race to renewables. We will stop Labor's proposed taxes on superannuation that will impact our farmers. The coalition will keep the supermarkets in check by delivering stronger penalties for anticompetitive behaviour.

We've just had an election in Queensland. What a marvellous result that was for every Queenslander. A Liberal National Party was elected under the leadership of David Crisafulli, and I congratulate the team wholeheartedly. I encourage the Prime Minister to head down to the Governor-General and call for a federal election. Australians have had enough. They've had enough of not feeling safe, they've had enough of crime and they've had enough of sky-high energy prices. They want to be able to afford to build a home. Australians are doing it tough and we need a Liberal National government.

Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The first half of the member for Capricornia's motion is actually quite sound. Agriculture certainly is of vital importance to Australia, and the sector requires a government that works actively to support it. I say that having grown up on farms in Mildura and seeing firsthand both the immense work that goes into Australian agriculture and the significant value that comes from that effort not just economically, locally and across the nation, but also socially.

The member for Capricornia would know quite well that the work of farmers and their families builds communities from the ground up, and the impact has become a significant piece of the Australian story. My own electorate of Spence, with its own periurban localities, is a prime example of the holistic value of agriculture. The Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster, which includes areas such as Virginia, Angle Vale and Gawler Belt, produces approximately 200,000 tonnes of fresh produce and over $300 million in farm gate value every year. That is a third of South Australia's overall agricultural production. This cluster has become a valuable community group in itself. It is one that I continue to engage with, and their importance cannot be understated.

The member for Capricornia and I, and, indeed, all of my Labor colleagues, can definitely agree on the significance of agriculture. It then begs the question: why does the member for Capricornia and the rest of her colleagues proceed to consistently attack policy to support the sector? The member states in the motion that farmers are facing increased pressure due to action taken by the federal government. This simply isn't inaccurate. In fact, the reality of the situation is quite the opposite. This is a government working to lift pressure from the backs of farmers, regardless of the opposition's refusal to support or even acknowledge these efforts—which is a shame. We're delivering much-needed support the sector, having engaged with a variety of farmers and bodies across Australian agriculture to inform our approach. That includes biosecurity funding, totalling more than $1 billion, to continue Australia's world-leading record in this space and ensure the $84 billion agricultural industry continues to grow.

It is no accident that Australia remains the only continent free from the avian influenza H5N1. We invested another $95 million last month to help keep things that way, further boosting the stability of Australian agriculture. This government is also opening the doors to new trade opportunities across the world—in China, India, Thailand, the UAE and more—after a decade of neglect towards our trade relationships by those opposite. As a result, our farmers are now working within the most diversified export market in Australian history, including 169 countries in the last financial year, achieved under this Labor government. In all, we've delivered over $3 billion of extra funding to the agricultural sector since coming to office in 2022.

Better still, that funding is not only throwing much-needed government weight behind farmers when they need it most but working to fight the cost of living across this country. It is applying downward pressure on food prices in shops by backing farmers on the land and working to improve their productivity because, as a Labor government, we know that a healthy agricultural sector in Australia is what helps make fresh produce more affordable when it reaches the consumer. That's why we're committed to helping grow the value of Australian agriculture to $100 billion by 2030. It's already projected to reach over $86 billion by the end of this financial year.

To link higher food prices in this country to government support that's been actively delivered to the agricultural sector, as the member for Capricornia is trying to do, just doesn't stack up. Not only does it turn Australian agriculture into a numbers game, to be won or lost by the opposition; that motion also works against the interests of farmers, as well as the rest of Australia, given our nation's dependence, both in the regions and in the cities, on their efforts. The Labor government is getting on with the job, providing farmers the support needed to whether difficult economic conditions. The opposition is choosing to use those conditions to build a narrative, instead of offering solutions. I thank the house.

Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank my friend and colleague the member for Capricornia for moving this important motion. Unfortunately, time will not permit me to list all the threats to agriculture created by this reckless Albanese Labor government and, I might add, its Victorian Labor colleagues.

I want to start in my electorate of Mallee. Victorian Labor's Renewable Energy Zones were initially proposed for five areas of the state, but now the transmission priority mapping shows Mallee is actually ground zero, along with a small area in my colleague the Liberal member for Wannon's electorate. The VNI West transmission line corridor was announced last week. Some of the farmers in my electorate have voiced their views, and I want to share them because their voices matter in this House, and I'm here to represent them.

Glenden Watts, a farmer in Yeungroon, said:

The project hasn't been done correctly, it's a political decision.

Mr Watts said:

The route does a dog-leg into farming land, rather than the populated areas. This is almost dictatory or communism. I don't believe in taking away people's rights to farm or contest the decision. I don't believe in this project. This isn't Australian to come in and do what they are doing.

Billy Baldwin, a sheep and wheat farmer at Marnoo, in my electorate, said:

We are not going to give it to them, we will have to stand at the gate. The company now plans to get a transmission licence, so they can get more power over us, a bigger stick. But to us it makes no difference, we will be ready to fight. We will protect our community, our home and our right to farm.

Ben Duxson, who has 8½ thousand Marino sheep, as well as canola, barley and wheat, on his 5,500 acre farm in Kanya, Wimmera River, whose property could be impacted by about 1.5 kilometres of transmission lines, said he was prepared to go to court over the decision. He said:

We know this is no good for Australia, this isn't right for agriculture, food sustainability or food affordability. Once they try and put 70 per cent renewables in our farm land, we never get it back. We are an agriculture country that needs to produce food. We have other energy sources out there. The alternative is nuclear, not ripping up prime agriculture land. None of it is good for food consumers or energy consumers. It just increases the cost in both areas and makes no sense.

Gre Gre farmer Jason Barrett, who has sheep, cattle, wheat, barley and canola, said the one-kilometre line through his property would also restrict the way he can farm. Mr Barrett said:

There would be height restrictions, even to the point at time of day. We harvest in summer and there will be temperature restrictions also, not being able to use machinery underneath the lines. We need to farm on warmer days because that's the nature of farming. There is no way we are going to lie down. We are united in our fight.

Today, I received an email from Anne Bryce, and I want to read you a small amount of that. Anne Bryce lives in Traynors Lagoon in my electorate. She says, 'Never in my lifetime did I ever think I would be facing and fighting against a government that is treating my community with such disdain. The transmission route has been narrowed that it now runs alongside our property. Along with this comes the onslaught of wind turbine companies and now mineral sand mining. We feel we are under constant attack, when all we want to do is farm. It's funny how we produce the food, yet we're on the bottom of the food chain, because there seems to be so many external factors vying for a piece of our farm. The government oversees renewable companies and mining, all picking at us like crows. We have been fighting this since February 2023. We have been treated like our lives don't matter by AEMO and Transmission Company Victoria. The mental toll this is taking on my community is immense, and TCV's attitude to this is to give you a card to Lifeline or Beyond Blue. TCV take no accountability.

Her family farm has been farming there for 150 years, and they are facing this kind of onslaught. Where is this onslaught on our food security and, ultimately, our national security going to end?

Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Capricornia for bringing forward this motion. This is a chance to recognise just how crucial agriculture is for Australia's economy, society and environment. Agriculture isn't just another industry; it's a key part of our success and essential to our way of life. In the 2023-2024 financial year alone, Australia's agriculture sector generated over $82 billion, supporting economic growth and helping our country remain resilient. It also provided over 257,000 jobs, many in rural and regional areas just like mine in the Hunter.

Over 90 per cent of the fresh fruit and vegetables, the meat, the milk and the eggs on Australian shelves is grown right here. This high level of local production shows the dedication of our farmers and reflects our commitment to food security, ensuring that Australians can rely on homegrown food. The cost of living is an ever-present concern for Australians, particularly as food and grocery prices continue to impact household budgets, but this government understands the pressure that rising prices place on families and communities across the nation, and we're committed to ensuring that Australians pay a fair price for their groceries while farmers are fairly compensated for their hard work. Our government has taken the bold step of addressing the issues that drive up costs at the checkout.

We recently allocated $2.1 million to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to look into the high electronic payment surcharges which impact Australians in a cashless world. Many Australians face these extra fees on essential purchases and think it's unfair, just like I do. That's why, starting 1 January 2026, following consultations with the Reserve Bank of Australia, we plan to ban debit card surcharges. Our goal is clear: we need to reduce costs for consumers without negatively impacting small business.

In October, the Treasurer introduced the biggest reform of Australia's merger laws in 50 years. This change means that mergers, especially in the supermarket industry, will face strong scrutiny from the ACCC to ensure fair prices. This reform is part of our commitment to competition and transparency so Australians know they aren't being overcharged. We're also tackling shrinkflation, which is when products shrink in size but prices stay the same. Last month we announced changes to the Unit Pricing Code to make sure that consumers can compare prices more accurately. There will be stronger penalties for companies that don't follow the code, and the ACCC will start an awareness campaign to help shoppers find the best deals. Additionally, we're holding big supermarkets accountable for misleading pricing. In September this year, the ACCC took legal action against Coles and Woolies for allegedly deceptive discount pricing.

This step was part of the extra $30 million we have given the ACCC to address retail sector misconduct, protecting consumers and suppliers alike. In September, we released the ACCC's Supermarkets inquiry interim report, which raised concerns about supermarket pricing, supplier treatment and barriers to competition. With the ACCC's final report due in February, we will have the information needed to create a fairer, more competitive market for all Australians. We're also improving protections for suppliers, particularly small business. The new code of conduct, based on recommendations from Dr Craig Emerson's review, will protect suppliers from retaliation with improved dispute processes and a confidential whistleblower system through the ACCC. This step helps make grocery supply chains fairer.

Looking forward, we're working with state and territory governments to fix competition barriers in planning and zoning rules, which often allow big players to control large portions of the market, limiting choice and keeping prices high. Reforming these rules is essential for a more competitive and consumer-friendly supermarket sector. Last year, we raised penalties for corporations involved in misconduct, increasing them from $10 million to $50 million, with turnover based penalties going from 10 per cent to 30 per cent of their annual turnover during the breach. The change ensures that the penalties reflect the seriousness of the offence and act as a strong deterrent.

Australians deserve to know that their government is working hard to protect them from high costs. Through these actions, we're addressing every part of the problem, from how prices are set to how supermarkets operate. We are committed to fair prices, transparency and protecting consumers. This government will keep strengthening these measures, working towards a grocery sector that offers fair value for consumers, fair pay for farmers and accountability for retailers.

Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Sitting suspended from 13:20 to 15:59