Agriculture and food in the community

The challenges of population shift, sectoral change, public perceptions and other trends affecting rural Australia should be met by:

a) government developing options to overhaul the current tax zone rebate system as a means of offsetting disadvantages of living in a number of rural and regional areas

b) rural industries and communities increasing their promotion of the benefits of life outside urban Australia

c) new government and industry initiatives (and the continuation of successful initiatives) to increase farmers’ decision making skills and awareness of their options, to help them plan for the future

d) expanding and increasing promotion of industry-led best practice initiatives.

Government response

Recomendation 12(a)
Disagree.

The Australian Government considers the current zone tax offset arrangements to be appropriate and has no plans to change eligibility for the zone tax offset. The Government’s preferred policy is to cut taxes generally, for all Australians, such as personal income tax cuts in the 2006-07 Budget, rather than providing geographically targeted tax cuts through increases to the zone tax offset.

Recomendation 12(b)
Agree.

Rural industry and communities should increase their promotion of the benefits of life outside urban Australia. This is an issue which is best addressed by industries and communities promoting their own specific attributes which will attract urban dwellers.

The Australian Government undertakes research and produces publications promoting life outside urban Australia. Previous publications have included:

• Perceptions of Rural and Regional Australia — this study identifies perceptions of regional Australia, including the relationship between mainstream capital city media reporting and advertising, and resultant perceptions of regional Australia generally and their effect on development and investment outcomes.
• Improving Regional Welcoming Strategies — this paper, prepared by the Regional Women’s Advisory Council, provides information for those communities that seek to actively integrate newcomers into their community. It provides information about newcomers’ expectations and a realistic assessment of a community’s capacity to meet them, and strategies to demonstrate to newcomers that their expectations can be fulfilled.
• Cultural Diversity and Economic Development — this research paper explores the role of the acceptance of diversity and inclusiveness within four Australian communities, and its implications for regional, social and economic development.

Recomendation 12(c)
Noted.

A range of existing Agriculture Advancing Australia (AAA) programes (including FarmBis, the Rural Financial Counselling Service, Farm Help and the Industry Partnerships Programe) provide support and assistance to farmers to increase their skills, knowledge and awareness of their operating environment with a view to enabling farmers to make more informed business decisions and plan effectively.

The Government is currently evaluating the AAA package to make sure AAA programes remain relevant and continue to help rural industries and producers adapt to changing circumstances.

Recomendation 12(d)
Noted.

In line with the current Australian Government policy of supporting farmers to improve on farm activities continuously and adopt industry best practice, the $15 million three year Industry Partnership Programe (IPP) comenced in 2005-06. This programe has been designed to provide industry with the skills and resources to, among other things, assist industry to benchmark current practices and promote industry driven best practice initiatives.

The Government is currently evaluating the Agriculture Advancing Australia (AAA) package to make sure AAA programes remain relevant and continue to help rural industries and producers adapt to changing circumstances.

The $11.7 million Pathways to Industry Environmental Management Systems Programe supports 18 peak industry bodies to implement environmental best practice initiatives that position their members for the future.

Since 2002-03, over $3 million has been provided through the Sustainable Industry Initiatives Programe to assist industries to:

• develop industry natural resource management (NRM) frameworks;
• support the development of industry NRM tools and mechanisms; and
• develop industry coordination and extension.