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

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that the Government has been delivering for Australian farmers and producers, helping our nearly $100 billion agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors continue to grow;

(2) acknowledges the Government has:

(a) recorded 169 market access achievements since July 2022, including:

(i) 22 new markets opened;

(ii) 66 improvements to reduce cost or requirements to export;

(iii) 72 achievements to maintain access in the face of threats to trade; and

(iv) nine achievements to restore access that was previously lost; and

(b) invested over $1 billion to ensure our biosecurity system is sustainable long term, ensuring our world-class system stays that way;

(3) further notes the dire state that our agriculture workforce was in under the previous Government, and acknowledges the work the Government has done to fix these issues, including:

(a) establishing the tripartite Agricultural Workforce Working Group and starting up the Agriculture Labour Taskforce; and

(b) working with stakeholders to deliver a Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme that is beneficial and safe for workers, which has grown from around 8,000 workers in March 2020 to over 27,000 at the end of 2024; and

(4) notes the Opposition's inaction on climate change reduced farm profitability, and acknowledges that the Government is investing in a sustainable agriculture sector by:

(a) delivering the first ever joint Agriculture Ministers' Statement on Climate Change;

(b) developing the first Agriculture and Land Sector Plan to chart the path for the industry to actively contribute to net-zero by 2050;

(c) investing $1.1 billion in the current round of the Natural Heritage Trust, including $302.1 million in climate-smart agriculture programs;

(d) investing $63.8 million to support the sector to act on climate and reduce emissions;

(e) committing $519.1 million over the next four years from the Future Drought Fund to ensure programs promote long-term drought and climate resilience; and

(f) ensuring our forestry industry remains sustainable, expanding our plantation estate and continuing support for our native forestry sector, in addition to supporting innovation and advanced manufacturing for wood products.

One thing that we humans cannot live without is food, and it is because of one dedicated group of people that we can source food in this country: our farmers. Every time we sit down for a meal, we should be grateful for the tireless work of Aussie farmers. Our farmers deserve more than just words. They deserve a government that delivers real action, not just politicians donning an Akubra or a puffer vest for a photo op. Playing dress-ups does nothing to truly support those who feed our nation.

Over the last term, this government has been steadfast in its commitment to Australian farmers, working to grow our nearly $1 billion agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries, and the results are clear. Since July 2022, we have achieved 169 market access wins, including opening 22 new markets, implementing 66 improvements to reduce export costs and requirements, securing 72 achievements to maintain access despite trade threats, and restoring nine previously lost trade opportunities. These numbers tell a powerful story: progress, investment and opportunity for Australian farmers and producers.

A thriving agriculture sector requires protection. That's why our government has invested over $1 billion to ensure that Australia's biosecurity system remains world class. We saw the importance of these investments firsthand with the outbreak of avian influenza last year. Thanks to our robust biosecurity measures, Australia remains the only continent free from the devastating avian influenza. But we are not complacent. We are stepping up our national preparedness to safeguard our industries from future threats.

A strong agriculture sector needs a strong workforce. Under the previous government, the agriculture workforce was in crisis. The previous government ignored the warning signs, leaving us to clean up the mess. We took immediate action, establishing the tripartite Agricultural Workforce Working Group; creating the agriculture labour taskforce; and strengthening the PALM scheme, growing participation from 8,000 workers in March 2020 to over 27,000 by the end of 2024. Without a skilled and reliable workforce, the entire agriculture sector suffers. That's why we continue to invest in training, TAFE and job opportunities.

But we cannot ignore the challenges posed by climate change. Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe, yet the previous government chose to ignore these challenges, leading to reduced farm profitability. We take a different approach. We delivered the first ever joint agriculture ministers statement on climate change. We developed the first Agriculture and Land Sectoral Plan to help the industry reach net zero by 2050. We invested $1.1 billion into the Natural Heritage Trust, including $302.1 million for climate-smart agricultural programs. We committed $519.1 million over the next four years from the Future Drought Fund to enhance climate resilience. These actions are not just about today. We are about securing the future for Australia's agricultural sector.

Australia's agriculture exports are at record highs thanks to our government's work in opening new markets and restoring key trade relations. We export over 70 per cent of our agricultural, fishery and forestry products to 169 global markets, the most diversified trade portfolio in history. We're restoring trade relations with China, leading to the removal of $20 billion in trade barriers. We're ensuring Australian live rock lobsters return to the Chinese dining table. We supported record red-meat exports and a booming aquaculture industry. Our government understands that strong trade means strong farmers and a strong economy.

To further strengthen the sector, we're re-investing $500 million from the National Reconstruction Fund for agriculture, forestry, fishery, food and fibre. We're also tackling workforce shortages head on with over 22,100 enrolments in agriculture related fee-free TAFE courses from January 2023 to September 2024, strengthening the PALM scheme, increasing its workforce and allocating $1.9 million to attract Australians to the workforce. This government is taking action and supporting the agricultural sector. We need to stick with a government that does, and that's what the Labor government is here to do. We support farmers, we support workers and we support our food, fibre and forestry industries.

Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the motion?

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

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I really like the member for Paterson. I think she's a great egg. She is the parliamentary co-chair of the friends of soil. I acknowledge her work, and I acknowledge her experience in that regard. But, sadly, the Labor government took away the position in August 2023 of the Soils Advocate. Penny Wensley was doing a great job, and it's just one example of how Labor has let down our agriculture sector. It's no fault of the member for Paterson. I want to place that firmly on the record. She is a good advocate. But her colleagues and certainly the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—who knows who it was at the time—let the nation down.

Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Who is it now?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

'Who is it now?' I hear the member for Cowper say. He's quite right to ask, because the member for Franklin, who in fact it is, has probably not left Tasmania. Speaking of Tasmania, I caught a plane to Tasmania the other day. Chris Lilley was actually on the plane. I enjoy him as a humourist.

He's very, very funny, member for Cowper. It's always comedy hour at the moment. We've got the member for Hunter bringing in a motion—

Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not funny.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Durack's right; it's not funny, but it:

… notes that the Government has been delivering for Australian farmers …

They're the first few words. The government has not been. Let's go through the long, sad, sorry list. We look at the biosecurity tax, where our farmers are expected to pay for the biosecurity of goods coming in from overseas, competing with their products on our shelves. We look at the truckie's tax. That's an impost on our farmers. We look at the 450 gigalitres of Murray-Darling water being taken out of the system. One of the greatest food- and fibre-producing nations on earth is now going to have to do it with 450 gigalitres of water less.

This is just shameful. Where is that water going to go? It's going to go out the mouth of the Murray. It's not going to be used for food production. It's not going to be used to grow more fibre. When the member for Hunter said we should applaud our farmers, we should. The farmers will be okay in this instance, but it's what it does to the rest of those river communities that is bringing shame upon this government. It's the hairdresser. It's the cafe. It's the local mechanic. It's the local school. They all lose out because those communities get diminished.

It's the green tape and it's the red tape that this government is foisting upon our poor farmers. I see that I've got my Western Australian friend here, the member for Durack. They're banning live sheep exports. The trade has been going for decades. We've got the best animal welfare standards in the world, and it's now going to be filled by countries which do not give a jot about the sheep. They couldn't care less about the animal welfare standards. They will fill our trade. And what does Labor do? They put $107 million in last year's budget, the biggest item for agricultural spending, on an item to stop farmers from farming, shut down an industry that was viable and thumb their nose—to have us thumb our nose—in a diplomatic relations nightmare, at Middle Eastern countries which relied heavily on that trade. It'll be filled by cowboys. It just will be. And sheep will suffer. They will suffer. And they will suffer on the watch of this government. Our farmers won't be able to do what they've done successfully for decades, and the list goes on and on. This motion mentions workers. Yes, workers are important. They don't care about the ag visa over on that side, but, I tell you what, they did make changes to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme. They made changes to unionise the scheme. They made changes so that farmers are going to have to pay workers to sit on their backsides and do nothing, but that's the Labor way. They're always subservient to their union masters. They're always subservient to those people who send them here, and we know—

he who pays the piper calls the tune, member for McEwen. You know it, and every one of your Labor mates knows it. Everyone in here knows it because you can't help but always mention the unions. It's always, 'Union this; union that,' and it's such a shame. I tell you what—

The coalition's coming for you and your seat—don't worry about that. But, I tell you what, thankfully, changes were made to the PALM scheme so that now the farmers are getting a better deal, and so are the Pacific workers who are coming here. They were losing out. They were losing out on those valuable remittances which they send back, which in some of those countries are more than half of their GDP. So it's now better for farmers and better for the workers. The only trouble is it runs out in July.

Don't sneer at me. It's actually better for them. We have to work it out in July and get a better system for those Pacific workers. (Time expired)

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

I am absolutely delighted to second this motion on agriculture today. I just want to start out by saying thank you to members of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture—the government, the opposition and some Independents—who have worked very well together to produce two really great reports in relation to agriculture.

The first one is Australian food story: feeding the nation and beyond,with apologies to Buzz Lightyear. It was an inquiry into food security. It took us over 12 months to complete this report, and it made 35 recommendations. Whilst we have an incredible agriculture sector here in Australia, food security is something that we need to turn our attention to. Despite being one of the most food-secure countries in the world, recent developments, both here and overseas, have shown us that food security presents real and growing challenges for our nation. We need to be focusing on that food security, and I again want to thank everyone who made a contribution to that report.

A couple of the recommendations in that report which I think are worth speaking about are that we need a food plan in Australia and we need to pay close attention to biosecurity, which our government is doing. We've in fact turned it around and protected our nation from things like lumpy skin disease, foot-and-mouth disease and avian flu. I know that biosecurity is at the top of the government's list when we think about agriculture because we have to protect our sector at all costs.

Some of the other recommendations that we made were having a food plan for Australia and also having a minister for food. We've also made a recommendation that we need to enforce the grocery code of conduct and make it mandatory. That is one of the recommendations that the government has put in place, and I am very pleased about that. So this report is a seminal text according to the industry, who backed it, and I again want to say that I do hope that we get to take more action on this report.

The other report that we managed to do in the ag committee this year was Trading north, and it came off the back of Sir Nicholas Moore's report, which said that we really needed to lean into our South-East Asian markets. Again, I am so delighted to be part of a government that has been able to open up trade again for our ag sector, getting us back into China and opening up the South-East Asian market. We are working incredibly hard on doing that—on ensuring that there are places for our agricultural products to be sold and that our farmers have access to them. It is just incredibly important in a world where trade is vital that we continue to forge ahead with getting our products to market, particularly in South-East Asia. I again commend Senator Farrell, the Minister for Trade and Tourism, who has done such a remarkable job.

I also want to thank the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, who is working so tirelessly to develop the first Agriculture and Land Sectoral Plan to chart the path for the industry to actively contribute to net zero, investing $1.1 billion in the current round of the National Heritage Trust and also investing $68.3 million to support the sector to act on climate and reduce emissions. I know a lot of young farmers want to do this. They're leading the way. They're into regenerative agriculture. That is such an important part of not only building our ag sector but also making it sustainable for the future.

The other thing that I would really love to mention here is that Labor has been delivering for Australian farmers and producers by helping our nearly $100 billion agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector grow, and that is key. We need our ag sector to be growing. We recorded 169 market access achievements, and that is such a vital thing.

The other point that I want to make is that ag is an incredibly dynamic sector. We are attracting young people to it. It's very high tech these days. The level of skill that's needed in agriculture these days is second to none and constantly evolving.

I couldn't be prouder of being part of a government that is delivering for the ag sector and knows that we need to keep moving into the future to ensure that we do all have enough food and that we continue to feed the world as well.

Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion moved by the member for Hunter would be comical but for the damage that this Labor government has done to the agriculture, fishing and forestry sector over the last two years and nine months. Now, that's not me saying that; that's the industry saying that. We are so lucky that the ag industry has been strong enough to weather this assault. It has been an all-out assault on those sectors.

Let me start with a handful of policy changes they've made that have impacted on our farmers across the board. Firstly, they tore up the dedicated ag visa, which was the biggest structural reform to the ag workforce in our nation. I know. I have the PALM scheme, and we had the ag visa workers, in my electorate. Now we have problems with being able to pick the blueberries, the bananas and the avocados. They just don't understand the damage that they do, because they don't understand the industry.

They attempted to slug farmers with a new $150 million biosecurity protection levy which would force farmers to pay for the biosecurity risks of international competitors. For those of you at home who might not have understood, our farmers are having to pay a biosecurity levy here for what people overseas are sending here. How is that fair? They're already paying over half a billion dollars in biosecurity anyway through other programs, and this is a cash grab by this government because it doesn't care about farmers. 'We're just going to reap the rewards. We'll just bring that money in on another $150 million biosecurity levy.'

One of the most disgusting things I've seen in this term is also the shutting down of the live sheep industry. They brought it forward. They had no consultation with the community. It's a $100 million industry, and they say: 'We've got $160 million to cover that. You'll be right. Go on and do something else. Find another industry.'

These are generational farmers, generational families who have had their legs cut out from underneath them because of ideology. We have the best animal practices in the world.

I'll take the interjection from the member for McEwen, because the next thing I was going to talk about was a new truckie and ute tax on diesel vehicles. Hang on—what do you think the member for McEwen did between 1998 and 2002? Guess what he did. He sold truck parts for diesel trucks. The chameleon! Yet he is servicing his paymasters and putting a diesel tax—a carbon tax—on four-wheel-drives, mum-and-dad SUVs. You're going to see an increase of about $25,000 on one of the most popular vehicles, the Toyota Hi-Lux.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Garbage!

Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not garbage, because I have spoken to the industry and they are telling me that every day of the week. They want us to unwind this because it is hurting them and it is hurting our farmers. Our farmers are the ones who drive the trucks, who freight all the food and fibre, but Labor wouldn't know anything about that. They just sit in their inner seats with their Teal friends, making bad decisions.

And what about pushing ahead with the water buybacks that ignore the economic and social safeguards for an additional 450 gigalitres? Where is that water going to go? Is it going to go on crops or in dams? No, it's going to go straight out to the ocean—wasted water—because they don't understand the industry.

We could stand here all day. Then there's the methane pledge. 'We're going to stop the cattle from burping and farting.' That's what they want to do. These are policies which are just so out there. They don't care about the farmers, they don't care about you, get rid of them at the next election.

Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the fine member for Hunter for moving this motion, because as regional members we know how important our farmers are to our regions, our country and the world. On Friday, I attended the Nowra Show. It's a show I've been attending for more than 50 years. I grew up on a dairy farm, and the show has always been a big part of my life. It has been 150 years since the first Nowra show, and our farmers still come together to show their animals and produce, and provide demonstrations to keep the ag spirit alive. It's where dairy farmers, beef farmers, poultry and alpaca farmers, timber, vegetable and crop growers enter their finest. It's where high school students enter cattle and take very seriously the growing of the biggest pumpkin. It ranges from horse events to the magnificent pavilion, where cakes, artwork and flowers are all carefully created and exhibited. It's where local community organisations, schools and businesses all come together, and it's where our kids gain an insight into our proud agricultural past and future.

Over the past couple of weeks I've also been to the Berry, Kiama and Eurobodalla agricultural shows, and I'm really looking forward to the Kangaroo Valley and Milton shows. My electorate of Gilmore is proud of its agricultural heritage, and there is nothing better than seeing our community come together and have such a good time. Food is essential, and we should never take for granted how important agriculture and farming is for the existence of our families, our communities, our country and the world.

After my own, dairy farming dad passed away when I was 21, I made a promise to myself that one day I would do something to help farmers like my dad. Today I stand in this Australian parliament, proud to say I am a member of the House Standing Committee on Agriculture that has taken part in inquiries into growing Australian agriculture to $100 billion, feeding the nation and beyond. But it is since coming to government that we have made real strides to deliver for Aussie farmers and producers, helping our nearly $100 billion agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors continue to grow.

It really was a horror time under the Morrison Liberal government when international relationships became fragmented and Australia's reputation suffered as a result. I'm pleased to say that, since coming to government, the Albanese Labor government has recorded 169 market access achievements since July 2022. This is so important because Australia exports over 70 per cent of our agricultural, fisheries and forestry produce to 169 markets globally. We have restored dialogue to Australia's relationship with China and secured the removal of $20 billion of trade impediments.

Dining tables in China will now feature live Australian rock lobsters—a win for our farmers and our exporters. We see similar stories right throughout the sector, from record red-meat exports to the booming aquaculture industry. We are committed to supporting our exporters to pursue opportunities in new markets, including through building stronger economic ties with India, negotiating a free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates, supporting greater regional trade cooperation and maximising the gains from recent free trade agreements.

There were massive issues left over by the Liberals, who ignored workforce shortages in the agriculture industry for too long. The Liberals ripped away funding from TAFE. They created a massive visa backlog and eroded worker protections. They had an ag visa, then they didn't and then they did again. But it failed to deliver a single worker to Australian farmers.

In stark contrast, we have not wasted a second in cleaning up the mess of those opposite. We established the tripartite Agricultural Workforce Working Group and stood up the agriculture labour taskforce within the department. Our free TAFE is making a difference, with over 22,100 enrolments in agriculture-related free TAFE courses from January 2023 to September 2024. Under the Albanese Labor government, the Pacific and Australian Labour Mobility scheme—or PALM scheme, as it's known—has continued to grow from around 8,000 workers in March 2020 to over 27,000 at the end of November 2024. We've funded the continuation of the AgCAREERSTART gap-year employment program for an additional two years. Our government is continuing to invest in programs that support employment, support our farmers and keep Australian agriculture strong.

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

I've always found the member for Hunter to be a very straight shooter. Unfortunately, on this one, he's missed the target by a long way. He's missed the target by an extremely long way. Let's have a look at what Labor has done. Labor has done nothing for the agricultural sector but tie it up in red tape and green tape.

Let's have a look at what else they've done, starting with the fishing industry and the ban on gillnets. The banning of gillnets put over 90 fishermen in my electorate of Dawson out of business. This wasn't done by any scientific means. This was political science. This was a sneaky little deal done by the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, to make UNESCO and the Greens—under the Labor-Green alliance—happy, all under the guise of saving the Great Barrier Reef. Newsflash—a gillnet doesn't go anywhere near the Great Barrier Reef. Can you imagine what a net would be like around coral? It's too silly for words.

What have they done with biosecurity? Labor is proposing to tax our farmers for the biosecurity risks of their overseas competitors. Nowhere else in the world does this, but this is what they're trying to do. It's absolutely ludicrous.

The family car and ute tax is another assault on rural and regional Australia. When you're a farmer, you can't use an electric vehicle. They can't carry the weight, they can't tow the load and they can't cover the vast distances. There are not electric charging stations within close proximity to be used. Now the vehicles that we drive—like Hiluxes, Rangers, Patrols, LandCruisers and those sorts of things—are going up in cost by between $10,000 and $20,000, according to our car dealers, all to try to get people into this electric fantasy that simply won't work for rural and regional Australia.

One of the biggest blights I've seen is the killing off of the live sheep trade. Make no mistake. We understand it's live sheep today and cattle tomorrow, all under the guise of keeping your little mates from the Greens happy, so you can roll over and get a little belly tickle from the Greens. We get it. We see it all the time. But I've been over and seen Western Australia and I've been on the live sheep boats. I've seen the ventilation that comes down and looks after the live sheep. I've seen the pens and how much room they have in there. I've seen firsthand that they have a vet on board and that all the people around the area are looking after the sheep. This is what they do. But no, what has Labor done to keep their Greens mates happy? They shut this industry down. These are multigenerational farms. I've spoken to farmers from WA who are the fourth and fifth generations—not for long!

Value add? I tell you what, they're totally delusional. You need to get out and go and actually talk to some of these people.

What's Labor done for energy for farmers? The electrical bills have gone up by more than 30 per cent; they can't afford to pump water. And to add insult to injury, what are you doing? You're putting solar panels on good quality agricultural land. You're putting solar panels on land that grows good-quality food and fibre that feed the nation. This is what you actually need to happen. Electricity bills are going through the roof under those opposite, and this is after a promise that we would be $275 better off. Where's that? 'By 2025'? Here we are. Electricity prices are going through the roof. Why not provide some cheaper electricity so that farmers can grow some more cane? The cane photosynthesises, pulls carbon out of the air and is better for the environment.

While we're talking about water, what about cutting all the dams? That's the other thing you've done. For Urannah Dam in my electorate, there was a commitment for $480 million, and what did those opposite do? They came in, slashed and burned. When you slash, you can't grow anything without water. But you probably wouldn't know because you probably don't know what a farmer looks like. Then there's the killing off of the agricultural visa—what a turnout that is—just to keep your union mates happy. What about the workforce shortages? It's absolutely ridiculous. It's clear that Labor is no friend of farmers, fishers and miners. Vote them out at the next election. Get rid of them. Get us back on track.

Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hunter for this opportunity to recognise our agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors and our agricultural workforce more broadly. It's a pleasure to follow the member for Hunter, the member for Paterson and the member for Gilmore in this debate—all very fine regional representatives. As a representative of a regional electorate myself, I'm proud to be part of a government that is delivering for Australian farmers and producers. In my own electorate, the agricultural sector is one of the highest employment industries, second only to the healthcare sector, with around 10 per cent of my constituents directly employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. More broadly, Tasmania's agricultural sector is a major contributor to the state's economy. In 2023 farm-gate value exceeded $2 billion for the first time.

The Albanese government is continuing to deliver practical support for Tassie's farmers and for our regions. At the end of last year, I joined the Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water at Greg Gibson's farm at Hagley. I spoke to Greg and other local farmers about the recent completion of the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme augmentation project—that's a mouthful!—and what it means for their business and the wide industry in Tasmania. The federal government invested $5 million through the National Water Grid Fund to this project, which included upgrades to pump stations and new pipelines to transfer water more effectively and efficiently across the Meander Valley. For producers like Greg, secure access to water for farming means increased confidence and security to grow and develop farming operations, and this project is just one of the many that confirms the Australian government's ongoing support for the Tasmanian agricultural industry more widely, particularly for Tasmanian irrigation. I know it's got bipartisan support, which I'm pleased to see, but I like to make the point whenever I can that the Tasmanian irrigation scheme was started by Labor. I know those opposite like to talk about how they're the friends of the farmers, but it was David Llewellyn, when he was the Minister for Primary Industry and Forests in a former state Labor government, who got this on track with the support of farmers. It's been a raging success for our shared state ever since. Deputy Speaker Archer, I know you know just how well Tasmanian irrigation works.

I'm pleased as well that our government is investing more than $150 million to deliver the Greater South East Irrigation Scheme down in the Sorell region. That will drive further economic growth in Tasmania in what is a particularly dry part of the state. Powered 100 per cent by hydroelectricity—I think the member for Dawson's head will explode when he hears that—it will provide water to grow iconic Tasmanian produce like cherries, apples, salad vegetables, grapes, stone fruit and olives. I myself live on an old sheep paddock in that region, and all those places used to be the wheat belt back at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. To see these high-value products being grown in the region is just spectacular. An extra 37 gigalitres of water will be available to farmers in Tasmania's South East every year. That's the equivalent of almost 15,000 Olympic sized swimming pools every year. I'm not sure even Ariarne Titmus could get through that!

We also announced last month a further $20 million for the On Farm Connectivity Program to help farmers utilise new technology. Across Lyons, many producers have taken advantage of this innovative program so far, enhancing on-farm connectivity to monitor activity with real-time data, improve safety and increase productivity.

Importantly, farmers now have a government willing to work with them to meet our shared ambitions on sustainability and adapting to climate change. Together, we are developing a plan to reduce the sector's emissions and position Australia as a world-leading producer of food and fibre. Throughout their time in government, the coalition wilfully ignored the science and failed to act properly on climate change and its impact on farmers. They ignored the Australian agricultural industry's calls for action. Industry peaks were left to go alone, and of course Farmers for Climate Action was born; it now has very active chapters nationwide and particularly in Tasmania. There has been inaction by the coalition. Climate change has dramatically reduced farm profitability, with ABARES modelling indicating an average loss to farms of 23 per cent, or close to $29,000 per farm, over the period from 2001 to 2020. Our government is getting on with the job. We are protecting farmers. We love representing farmers, fishers and foresters, and we're getting on with the job.

Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned, and resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.