By CRAIG HOUGH, DIRECTOR STRATEGY & POLICY, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS The federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers faces the challenge of balancing geopolitical tensions, global economic uncertainty, the inflated cost of living and
By CRAIG HOUGH, STRATEGY & POLICY DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS
Dairy is working alongside partners in the livestock industry and the Australian Government to transform Australia’s biosecurity system.
As globalisation continues to increase the rates of movement of both people and goods into Australia from areas where pests and diseases are more widespread, the risk to our industry is increasing.
Biosecurity affects the profitability and sustainability of our industry. An incursion, of any sort, lowers production, disrupts trade and adversely impacts animal welfare and the mental health of farmers and stakeholders. For example, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) estimated a widespread FMD outbreak in Australia would have a direct economic impact of around $80 billion.
In August 2022, Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) made a submission to the Senate’s Rural and Regional Affairs’ committee’s Inquiry into the Adequacy of Australia’s biosecurity measures and response preparedness, in particular with respect to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
Our submission endorses, and builds on, the Australian Government’s National Biosecurity Strategy, which provides a 10-year roadmap for significant change to our biosecurity system.
An analysis of various reports from the Inspector General of Biosecurity, the CSIRO, independent reviews and consultation with ADF members and stakeholders informed this submission. For example, the CSIRO report Australia’s Biosecurity Future: Unlocking the next decade of resilience in 2020 found that between 2012 and 2017, the annual number of interceptions of biosecurity risk materials at Australian borders rose by almost 50 per cent. Such an increase in threats requires an increase in capability and efficiency in response.
So, ADF is calling on the Australian Government for additional reforms to the biosecurity system to ensure Australia is fully prepared to respond swiftly to the growing biosecurity threats.
Specifically, our submission calls for everyone to ensure exotic animal diseases do not enter Australia. We call for reforms to governance, funding, disease categorisation, surveillance and detection, diagnostics and vaccine development and a review of compliance measures.
The key recommendations in our submission include:
An explanation of the rationale of these reforms can be found in the ADF submission. A final report from the Senate committee is due to be tabled in the Senate on 24 November 2022.
As we know, there are no silver bullets for biosecurity. Biosecurity is everyone’s business – it is a shared responsibility. We need adequate measures in place to protect Australia’s agricultural industry from any threats of pests and disease, and this involves working together to protect our farms, livelihoods and natural environment.
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ADF’s submission can be viewed at: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Rural_and_Regional_Affairs_and_Transport/FMDBiosecurity/Submissions
For more about the National Biosecurity Strategy:
www.biosecurity.gov.au/about/national-biosecurity-committee/nbs
By CRAIG HOUGH, STRATEGY & POLICY DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS
Resolving workforce shortages in Australian agriculture, including the dairy sector, is a key priority for government, unions and rural industry in 2022/23.
Over 110 recommendations emerged from the Jobs and Skills Summit in September 2022. These need to be analysed and formalised into a White Paper and funded via the October 2022 Federal Budget. Priority should be given to actions that help resolve worker shortage now like providing $36.1 million in additional funding to accelerate visa processing and resolve the visa backlog.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has announced a new tripartite Agricultural Workforce Working Group. The group brings together the Australian Government, unions and employer groups to generate solutions that better skill, attract, protect and retain workers in the agriculture and processing sectors.
Through collaboration, the working group will ensure the agricultural sector benefits from announcements made at the Jobs and Skills Summit in relation to skills, migration and worker protections.
Dairy has secured a place in this milestone taskforce, alongside three other employer groups.
ADF National Council member Ann Gardiner was named representative for the dairy industry, with an alternate member yet to be nominated. This is a fantastic achievement for the Australian dairy industry.
Farm workforce shortage dominates dairy conversations
Although the working group is a crucial step in the right direction, more action is needed. The dairy industry requires immediate support and long-term planning to address the systemic worker shortage.
This issue is long-standing but has been exacerbated by the pandemic, particularly the Omicron outbreak which saw thousands of workers along the dairy supply chain having to isolate because they have caught COVID-19 or are close contacts.
The National Agriculture Workforce Strategy, which was launched last December, was welcomed by ADF as it contains 37 recommendations to modernise agriculture’s image, attract and retain workers, embrace innovation, build people’s skills, and treat workers ethically. Most of these recommendations align with the Jobs Summit recommendations. In some instances, the strategy provides a more effective option than the Summit’s proposal. For example, the strategy recommended establishment of a Workforce Data Unit to improve agriculture workforce statistics and forecasting.
Currently, significant gaps exist like with the ABS’s Job Vacancy data which reports on most sectors but not agriculture. The Jobs Summit acknowledged the issue but proposed a different solution. It recommended the establishment of an independent body called Jobs and Skills Australia to undertake this and other workforce planning tasks. A unit in the department is a preferred option because it is quicker to establish, subject to direct Ministerial oversight and is more cost-effective. It is important that the new working group considers the strategy in its deliberations. Significant work was undertaken by ADF and other agriculture groups to develop the strategy with government. We do not want to see this disregarded just because it was a former government initiative.
At an agriculture workforce roundtable chaired by Minister Watt in Brisbane back in August, I highlighted the efforts industry is taking to help address the worker crisis. The People in Dairy website provides extensive workforce information for potential and current employees and employers in the industry.
In September, Dairy Australia launched a new national marketing campaign to promote the benefits of working in dairy farming and encourage Australians to explore a job in dairy. This extension of the Dairy Matters campaign is being delivered into dairying regions across TV, YouTube, radio, social media and local newspapers. We encourage jobseekers to visit www.dairyjobsmatter.com.au for more information.
All these efforts to bring people to industry – and keep them – are vital to resolving the workforce shortage.
By RICK GLADIGAU, PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) is working with the 47th Parliament to deliver on our policy priorities and advocacy targets, recognising that not every