Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Hansard source

This is not superannuation, Senator Abetz. Let me outline the impacts on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The first thing that should be remembered when looking at the forward estimates—and I do not know whether the senator has looked at the forward estimates in detail—is that the Dairy Adjustment Levy has been abolished. That accounts for a reduction in the forward estimates of some $233 million. The second overall range of changes that reduce the forward estimates has been a consequence of the transfer of funding to other agencies, including Centrelink. Another impact on the forward estimates reduction has been drought funding estimates that have been revised because of a decrease in the number of areas EC declared. That is approximately $28 million. Funds previously recorded in the agricultural portfolio budget of some $524 million are now accounted for by Treasury as part of the financial relations reforms stemming from a COAG agreement. The number of areas which have been declared to be in exceptional circumstances has fallen from some 74 as at 1 July 2008 to 58 as at 1 May 2009. (Time expired)