Strategic direction
1.1 Strategic direction
The department’s objective in 2009–10 and beyond is to implement the government’s policies to ensure Australia’s agriculture, fishing, forestry and food-related industries better respond to their threats and opportunities. Specifically, that means continuing to support productivity and growth in our primary industries by:
- maintaining existing markets and developing new trading opportunities
- ensuring Australia plays a strong role in efforts to tackle global food security
- helping our primary industries prepare for climate change, droughts and extreme weather events
- boosting productivity by investing in research and development (R&D), skills and training, innovation, and promoting the use of new technologies
- reforming our biosecurity system to help prevent pests and diseases being introduced, and to prepare for future challenges, such as climate change and the increased movement of people and goods.
Collectively, this will contribute to achieving the department’s two outcomes:
More sustainable, productive, internationally competitive and profitable Australian agricultural, food and fibre industries through policies and initiatives that promote better resource management practices, innovation, self-reliance and improved access to international markets.
Safeguard Australia’s animal and plant health status to maintain overseas markets and protect the economy and environment from the impact of exotic pests and diseases, through risk assessment, inspection and certification, and the implementation of emergency response arrangements for Australian agricultural, food and fibre industries.
Australia exports two-thirds of its agricultural production and is a major source of food traded in international markets. Increasing our food production, in a way that is sustainable and does not distort trade, is an important way Australia can contribute to improving global food security. Over the coming year, we will work closely with industry and other government agencies to help maintain our overseas markets, and find new ones, and to also drive productivity along the food chain.
The government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) will tackle climate change by capping emissions and establishing a market mechanism for pricing greenhouse pollution. The decision about agriculture’s inclusion in the scheme will be made in 2013. Regardless of whether agriculture is included, farmers will be affected by the scheme as carbon pricing influences prices throughout the economy. An important priority for the department in 2009–10 will be helping farmers to reduce their emissions without reducing their productivity.
We will continue implementing Australia’s Farming Future—the government’s four-year, $130 million initiative aimed at providing farmers, foresters and fishers with the skills, research and information they need to manage their emissions and better adapt to the effects of climate change.
Innovation and R&D are the keys to improving Australia’s agricultural productivity, and ensuring our primary industries tackle the challenges of climate change and food security. An increased focus on targeted, high priority R&D will be critical to meeting those challenges, with the new Rural R&D Council to play a significant role by providing advice to the minister and the department.
In 2009–10, the government expects to provide about $204 million in matching contributions to Australia’s rural R&D corporations. The department will continue encouraging greater collaboration to increase the scale of research needed to tackle major national issues such as food security, climate change and biosecurity. We will also support the states, research providers and industry sectors to implement the National Primary Industries Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Framework. This framework will ensure a better coordinated and more efficient, effective and comprehensive national approach to RD&E.
The most immediate challenge in tackling climate change is how we deal with drought. With some parts of Australia still suffering long-term drought, the government is working with the states and farming community to determine the best possible policy framework to support farmers facing hardship as a result of reduced rainfall. We are finalising the government’s drought policy reforms based on the outcomes of the National Review of Drought Policy.
The government is committed, however, to maintaining current Exceptional Circumstances (EC) arrangements and drought support programs for farmers and small businesses dealing with the current, severe drought. The government has allocated $429 million in 2009–10 through EC programs for EC-declared areas.
Over the coming year, the department will continue its important role of managing the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering Australia. To ensure our biosecurity systems are the best in the world, the government commissioned a comprehensive, independent review of our systems in 2008. In its preliminary response to the Quarantine and Biosecurity Review, the government gave in-principle agreement to all 84 of the review panel’s recommendations.
A number of interim measures will begin on 1 July 2009, including the consolidation of the department’s biosecurity functions, establishment of an interim Inspector General of Biosecurity and an interim Biosecurity Advisory Council. To ensure a better working partnership, a national agreement on biosecurity with state and territory governments will be developed by the end of 2009. The department is also developing new legislation to replace the Quarantine Act 1908 and other relevant pieces of legislation—this is expected to be developed by mid-2010 although the broader biosecurity reforms will be implemented progressively over the next few years.
The department will continue working closely with other parts of government and industry to maintain and increase access to global markets for Australia’s agriculture, fish, food and forest products. This includes specific, sector-based activities designed to remove trade distortions, facilitate technical assistance and agricultural cooperation, and contribute to improved international trading standards. The Live Trade Animal Welfare Partnership program, for example, will involve the department working in partnership with the livestock industry to jointly fund improvements in animal welfare in countries that import Australian livestock.
In 2009–10, the department will work closely with other agencies to encourage a whole-of-government approach in a number of priority areas. In particular, we will continue to jointly manage the government’s Caring for our Country initiative with the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Caring for our Country encourages the use of land management practices that improve on-farm productivity while also improving environmental outcomes and increasing the resilience of farmers and agricultural landscapes in the face of climate change. The government has committed more than $2 billion to Caring for our Country to June 2013.
Our priorities in 2009–10 will be driven by the government’s commitment to working with portfolio stakeholders to overcome challenges and ensure that our primary industries continue to play a major role in creating wealth, income and jobs in rural and regional areas, and generate export income for the nation.
15 Sep 2009