Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Ludwig, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Minister, late last week, a 'Save SPC' community rally was held in Shepparton, Victoria, bringing together the AMWU, community members and over a hundred local fruit growers. As you would be aware, the Goulburn Valley's largest fruit-packing company, SPC Ardmona, announced a massive 50 per cent cutback in food processing. This is the latest in a string of similar disasters for the Australian food processing industry, an industry that has suffered 12 straight months of contraction. Over 1,200 horticulture processing jobs have been lost, and 11 fruit and vegetable processors have been closed. Many of these jobs are in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria, with SPC's contribution to wages being close to $26 million within the local community alone. What action is the government taking to support local fruit growers and workers in this region?

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

There are a couple of issues there. I might deal with the SPC Ardmona issue, seeing that it was raised. I am aware of the challenges in that region around Shepparton. But the high Australian dollar is and has been presenting difficulties for our agricultural industry, including the specific ones faced by individual processors such as SPC Ardmona. SPC Ardmona have written to the Prime Minister requesting that the government impose safeguard measures in the form of increased tariffs. That is dealing with the processor and that is a matter that will fall, ultimately, within another portfolio area for determination.

In terms of helping, in particular, farming communities in those regions, the greatest help that can be provided very quickly on the ground is the Farm Finance package—and I would like to hear from those opposite how much effort they are making to encourage the Victorian and New South Wales governments to support the Farm Finance package, because it will allow for diversification and consolidation. It will allow those people who want to choose different opportunities to use up to $650,000 worth of concessional loans to provide the support and assistance they need so much. Certainly, in the travels I have undertaken in those areas, people say that concessional loans of that nature will allow them to continue to pursue other opportunities in those regions, because they are good, fertile areas and they have opportunity with both land and water. In this instance, they are flying into some pretty tough headwinds. That is certainly acknowledged in those regions. The Liberal Party have two questions to answer— (Time expired)

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I know that the minister has received a formal request for emergency safeguard action from SPC Ardmona. Given that the matter is extremely urgent, what is the government's progress on this request? When can SPC Ardmona expect an answer, given that the request is now over two weeks old and this issue is causing great concern within the local community?

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

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has reviewed the request to determine whether there is a case for imposing provisional and/or full safeguard measures. On the basis of that review, I have referred the matter—as I think I said earlier; Senator McKenzie might listen to my earlier answer—to the Minister for Trade, the Hon. Dr Craig Emerson. I understand it is a matter for Dr Emerson to consider, and I have responded to SPC Ardmona in those terms. I will not be so bold as Senator Macdonald and seek to table the letter or claim that SPC Ardmona have already received the letter. I will check to make sure that has been done. Senator McKenzie might do the same, and check with SPC Ardmona today whether or not they have received a letter, so that her information is up to date. (Time expired)

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, what plans does the government have to prevent the possibility of a major pest biosecurity disaster that could eventuate if fallow orchards are not managed effectively and then become a breeding ground for insect infections through the rest of the region, destroying yet more fruit and putting more local businesses and jobs at risk as the fruit rots on the ground?

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

This is an important issue. We do have within DAFF a very strong biosecurity section but ultimately biosecurity for domestic issues, as Senator McKenzie should know, does fall within state responsibility. I can say, with some encouragement, that we do have a framework in place that the state and territory ministers signed off at the last COAG meeting. Why? Because it is incredibly important that we do deal broadly with biosecurity issues such as those involved in pre-border, border and post-border incursions.

I am not sure that the tenor of the question was worrying about biosecurity; in fact, I think it was worrying more about outcomes. Farm Finance is one of those outcomes that will help producers. Perhaps Senator McKenzie could put her shoulder to the wheel—I have asked Senator Macdonald to do it. Nobody has responded and said yes yet. (Time expired)

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be place on the Notice Paper.