Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tasmania is well known for its beautiful wilderness, friendly people and world-class agricultural products. Our whiskey and wine consistently receive global accolades, keeping pace with the best from Scotland and France, and our internationally recognised wagyu beef is on the menu at many high-end restaurants. Our cherries and crayfish are sought-after products, especially for international events like the recent celebration of the Chinese New Year, and our cheese and dairy products are consistently awarded fine food awards as among the best in Australia.

Tasmania's farmers have had the good fortune of living and working in areas that have abundant resources that make most of the state ideal for agriculture like good soil, moderate weather conditions and availability of water, but more recently our farmers have experienced drought, flood, famine and fires with more regular frequency than ever before. To secure our food bowl for generations to come and support our farmers with the tools they need to thrive, now is the time to act. This is why I was proud to join Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton and Liberal Lyons candidate Susie Bower in southern Lyons last November for their announcement that a coalition government would fund $150 million for the Greater South East Irrigation Scheme.

Tasmania is home to 13 irrigation schemes that have been developed through a tried-and-true strategy of a public-private partnership between the Commonwealth government, the Tasmanian Liberal government, Tasmanian Irrigation and local farmers. As a senator for Tasmania, I have been pleased to witness the progress of several of these initiatives including Scottsdale, Sassafras Wesley Vale and Don, all of which were proudly supported by coalition governments. Unfortunately, the latest tranche has not received the same support from the Albanese Labor government, who failed to provide critical funding for the Greater South East Irrigation Scheme in the 2024-25 budget. It marked a milestone for the Commonwealth as the first Tasmanian scheme to be denied funding after its business case was lodged, a business case that was modelled on the previous 12 schemes before it.

The Greater South East Irrigation Scheme is the largest proposed scheme and will augment three existing schemes into one to provide reliable and affordable water for more than 250 farmers. It will support up to 300 full-time jobs and enable on-farm investment of $120 million during construction, increasing to $183 million with water entitlements. For the Labor member for Lyons to say he was blindsided by this project's absence from the budget demonstrates a complete disregard for the needs of farmers in our community. It was also telling that within 48 hours of the opposition leader making the announcement Prime Minister Albanese was in Tasmania announcing matching funding for the Greater South East Irrigation Scheme, accompanied by his celebrity candidate Rebecca White—the same Ms White who was, during the critical stage of the development of the business case, the Tasmanian opposition leader. This is the same Ms White who had ample opportunity to pick up the phone and advocate to her federal Labor colleagues for this project when it did not receive funding in the budget but failed to do so.

In complete contrast, Lyons Liberal candidate Susie Bower's advocacy has resulted in bipartisan funding for this critical project. Ms Bower travelled to Canberra privately to seek an audience with shadow water minister Perin Davey to advocate and secure funding for this vital project for farmers in southern Lyons. These communities, which include Gretna, the Jordan River Valley, Brighton, Richmond, Dulcot, Cambridge, Colebrook, Campania, Tea Tree, Orielton, Pawleena, Penna, Sorell, Forcett, Elderslie and Broadmarsh, now have surety thanks to Susie Bower that this irrigation project will proceed.

This federal election, these farmers and other people across Tasmania and Australia will have a choice: another three years of ignorance and apathy from Labor towards our regional communities or a coalition government that will restore our standard of living, reinvigorate our regions and get Australia back on track.