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- Next SCoPI meeting:
June 2013
Recent Meetings
Introduction
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is the peak intergovernmental forum in Australia. COAG’s role is to initiate, develop and monitor implementation of policy reforms that are nationally significant and require cooperative action by Australian governments.
On 13 February 2011, COAG agreed to reform the ministerial council system and announced that 12 new standing councils would be established—including a standing council on primary industries and another on environment and water. As a result, the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council and the Primary Industries Ministerial Council had their remits withdrawn. For more information on the history of the primary industries councils refer to the background pages.
The Standing Council on Primary Industries (SCoPI) was launched on
17 September 2011.
Scope
SCoPI is the peak forum to:
- pursue and monitor priority issues of national significance affecting Australia’s primary production sectors which require a sustained and collaborative effort across jurisdictions; and
- address key areas of shared Commonwealth, state and territory responsibility and funding for Australia’s primary production sectors.
SCoPI's priority issues are:
- reform of the national biosecurity system
- promoting the ongoing productivity and sustainability of the agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries
- undertaking coordinated action across jurisdictions to strengthen long-term food security.
In pursuing its priority issues of national significance, SCoPI will take into account the cross-cutting issues of Indigenous participation, gender equality, productivity, climate change and equal access to services and opportunities for regional communities.
SCoPI will work closely with the Standing Council on Environment and Water, recognising the key interactions and reliance of primary industries on sustainable environment, land and water resources.
Membership
All Australian/state/territory and New Zealand ministers with responsibility for primary industries matters are members of SCoPI.
Chairing
SCoPI is permanently chaired by the member who represents the Commonwealth.
Secretariat
The secretariat is provided by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Full terms of reference for SCoPI are available on the website.