Only Labor has a plan for agriculture

The Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to agriculture in the 2016-17 State Budget was in stark contrast to the LNP Opposition, Agriculture Minister Leanne Donaldson said.

“At a time when the Palaszczuk Government is delivering unprecedented support for rural Queensland and our food and fibre industries, Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls ignored the tens of thousands of Queenslanders who work in the sector and who live in our rural communities.

“Today the Leader of the Opposition delivered his alternative Budget for Queensland and didn’t once mention agriculture, farms, drought or biosecurity,” the Minister said.

“There could be no clearer proof that the LNP takes the Bush for granted.

“By contrast, on Tuesday, Treasurer Curtis Pitt delivered a $454 million investment in Queensland’s agriculture and fisheries sector.

“The Opposition Leader clearly has no interest in a sector that contributes $17 billion to the state’s economy.

“Eighty-four per cent of Queensland is in drought.

“The record-breaking dry is impacting on thousands of businesses and individuals every day and I am exceptionally disappointed that he could not even be bothered to mention the communities coping with the consequences.

“In a speech heavy on ideological rhetoric but feather light on detail, he showed he doesn’t care about rural and regional issues.

“He could not be bothered to make even a passing reference to the $77.9 million whole of government Rural and Assistance Drought Package the Treasurer announced this week or the landmark measures to reduce financial stress and improve financial sustainability.

“We simply don’t know if Mr Nicholls supports those initiatives or opposes them. All we can draw from his failure to refer to agriculture or drought today is that he doesn’t care and has no alternative proposals.
 
“It is the same for our other budget announcements for the sector – our $10.8 million over four years to begin implementation of the Biosecurity Capability Review, our additional funding for wild dog cluster fencing, our continuing investment to protect our $600 million banana industry, our support for the RSPCA or the establishment of an Office of Rural Affairs.

“As I travel around rural and regional Queensland, and meet graziers and other producers, I am often told that the LNP took the Bush for granted.

“Now we know that nothing will change under the Nicholls-Frecklington regime.”

Minister Donaldson said Mr Nicholls did mention Labor’s election commitment to create a Rural Jobs Agency which he labelled a mirage

“Mr Nicholls clearly has not been paying attention.

“Our election commitment became the Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance after consultation with industry and is doing great work in conjunction with QFF, AgForce, Growcom and Canegrowers.

“The Alliance has been under way since 2015 and if either Mr Nicholls or Mrs Frecklington had an understanding of agriculture in Queensland they would have known this is what industry asked for and we have delivered.”

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