Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for his question. The Gillard government has developed the first ever National Food Plan. This is the first time the Australian government has ever taken a comprehensive view of the food system right through from the paddock to the plate. With growing export markets and a rising middle class in Asia, there are new opportunities for Australia on our doorstep, but these opportunities will not simply happen; we need a dedicated road map for government, industry, producers and our exporters. The National Food Plan is that road map. It brings together a range of strategies to assist in that endeavour.

We have set a goal to increase the value of Australian agriculture and food related exports by 45 per cent in real terms by 2025. Any road map requires goals. We have also set the goal to increase Australia's agricultural productivity by 30 per cent by 2025. We will do this by helping farmers grow more food using fewer inputs. And we have set the goal for Australia to be amongst the top five most efficiently regulated countries in the world. The National Food Plan also sets out how the Gillard government will work to achieve those goals.

We have established a $29 million Asian Food Markets Research Fund to provide support and research for the expansion of the Australian food industry into Asia. The Productivity Commission will also undertake a review of food regulation so we can cut red tape in the food-processing area. We will also publish two new reports to identify what Asia wants and the infrastructure we need to get it there. To overseas markets, we are working to create the first ever food— (Time expired)