John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 238.

Leave granted.

I, and also on behalf of Senators McKenzie, Canavan and O'Sullivan, move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences has forecast the gross value of Australian farm production will increase by 8.3 per cent to a record $63.8 billion in 2016-17,

(ii) real net farm cash income is estimated to have been $25.7 billion in 2015-16, well above the 20-year average to 2014-15 of $15.6 billion,

(iii) farm cash income for Australian broadacre farms is projected to average $216 000 per farm in 2016-17 which is the highest recorded in the past 20 years,

(iv) new trade opportunities negotiated by the Coalition Government with China, Korea and Japan have boosted Australian farm exports which are projected to be $48.7 billion in 2017-18, and

(v) agriculture showed strong growth in the December quarter, contributing 0.2 per cent to the economy's overall 1.1 per cent growth for that period; and

(b) further notes that, with the right policy settings and programmes, agriculture still has massive potential to grow and deliver even better results as an economic powerhouse of the nation.

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. The Greens will be supporting this motion—I think so; I have not seen the amendment—but we want to note that it is not just an issue of gross value of agricultural income that is important in the growth and potential of the agricultural industry. We are also concerned about income to farms, not just broadacre farms but particularly income to farmers such as dairy farmers. We note that another criterion for whether we have a successful agricultural industry is the overall sustainability of agricultural industries and also note the impact of global warming. We note that this last year overall has had good rainfall and good conditions, but those sorts of conditions are going to be fewer and further between as global warming increases. In particular, you only need to look at the death of 47 dairy cows in the Shoalhaven with the heatwave that occurred there and the decrease in wheat yields to see the challenges for our agricultural industry in being able to fulfil its potential.

Question agreed to.