Terry Redman Business Breakfast Speech

Author: Terry Redman
Published on: 16-September-2009

One year in....good time to reflect on what has been achieved –

- in my individual portfolio

- in the National party

- and in Government.

Also a good time to step back and look at where we are headed and how we’re going to get there

THIS IS A GOVERNMENT THAT’S INTERESTED IN AND UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

Have been some challenges and had to make some tough decisions early

- the GLA

- Muchea

- GM canola

All difficult decisions, constrained by budget. $7.6 billion is savings across 4 years of the forward estimates – this is the environment we are working in.

The challenge is to bring the community with us. Being able to effectively explain the reasons behind why a decision has been made is just as important as the decision itself.

Determined to make a difference. Want to be judged by decisions not indecisions.

The industry now has a Minister, a Premier and indeed a Government interested in agriculture.

Premier says he wants to see agriculture advance in the next ten years like minerals and energy has in the last ten.

Recently released draft industry development plans for

- Grains

- Livestock

- Horticulture

- Food

Releasing these plans in an environment where the Treasury coffers are sealed shut and we have to make some very smart decisions about where we focus our funds to get the best return. We’ve only got a limited bucket of money and need to find the balance between our industries.

The agriculture and food sectors are worth around $13 billion to the WA economy annually. The draft grains plan shows that the grains industry alone could grow by another billion dollars.

Industry is the main player – Government is merely the supporting act. However, there are things that Government can do to see our industries grow and I want to make sure we are playing our part.

Back in March, I set out some priorities for the goals I would like to see our agricultural industries achieve. They included things like improving profitability, managing our natural resources effectively, building industry capacity to adapt and grow, improving market access and lifting the profile of the WA ag and food industries.

These priorities were the grand vision and the draft plans set out the practical steps we can take to achieve that grand vision.

TAKING A FRESH APPROACH TO AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

Agriculture and food are not industries that sit still – they are constantly innovating and adapting.

Government departments need to do the same.

The Department of Agriculture and Food has great potential – just needs to be given the keys to unlock it.

They have a half a billion dollar property portfolio, 1400 employees and 70 regional offices - a great platform to deliver for industry.

But for too long they have been internally focussed, they have lacked political leadership and they have had a supply side culture. The attitude has been not ‘what does the farming community need from us’ but ‘what would I like to do for the farming community’ This has led to programs, research, development and extension that doesn’t line up with what the farming community needs.

With a new Government and a new Minister, I see this as a great opportunity for the Department to re-invent itself Everything we do in DAFWA should be prefaced with the following question “how does this contribute to the profitability of our industries and the economy of WA”?

In a report to be released by DAFWA next week, they found that WA farmers are the most productive in the nation and receive the least amount of Government assistance What this shows is just how adaptive and responsive our farmers really are. While farmers in other countries hide behind trade barriers and subsidies, our farmers are getting on with the job.

This also means that the WA Government can focus on practical programs like drought preparedness– than on hand outs to farmers.

This news also flies in the face of the stereotype of the whinging farmer chasing a hand out – in WA, it just isn’t like that.

LIFTING THE PROFILE OF AG AND FOOD IN WA AND MAKING THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITIES

Lifting the profile of WA agriculture and food industries is one of my key priorities I see this as the backbone of success – reputation is key.

There is a serious lack of understanding in Perth about what we actually do in agriculture and food.

Raising the profile and the pride in our industries also helps to mitigate the issues on the periphery that tend to bite us on the backside frequently. If the metro community had a better understanding of what we do and how we do it, they would be less worried or taken in by arguments about live export or mulesing for example One way I have started to try and do this with my own colleagues is by initiating parliamentary study tours for all MP’s. The first tour in July was well-received and our MP’s now have a better understanding of forestry issues, live export, feedlots and grain handling. I want to get them all out to a GM crop next!

These sorts of tours will result in better informed MP’s who are more likely to be supportive when issues come across their desk or come up in Parliament.

We need to better understand the importance of managing community expectation We have always been very good at talking ourselves down and been happy to bear the cross of the poor cousin to the mining industry I want WA to be synonymous with gas projects AS WELL AS high quality food production. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD IN WA

Great future ahead. So many opportunities – just a matter of harnessing the resources – people, technology, soil and water – and giving it our all.

By 2050 the world population is predicted to increase by from 6billion to 9 billion – much of these people will live in the markets immediately to our north in Asia.

We export 80 per cent of what we produce. We’d go broke if we had to rely on our domestic market. Highlights the importance of cultivating our export markets and staying competitive with farmers and food producers in other countries.

Long list of things we are working on to ensure the industry grows and remains profitable and progressive:

- Regional saleyards

- Pastoral diversification

- Research into better crops and pastures

- GM

- Ord

- Royalties for regions

- Carnarvon

- Importance of planning and infrastructure, water, land, development policies.

In closing:

- This is a Government that is interested in and understands the importance of the agriculture and food industry

- There is huge potential and great opportunities in these sectors – and we are keen to see them realised

- Raising the profile of agriculture is a key priority which will have benefits for the sector I urge everyone here to play a role in raising the profile of agriculture in your communities and networks – we all need to be shouting the victories and our contributions of the agriculture and food sectors from the rooftops.

Thank you.