The Federal Budget is a stable budget, but more is needed to advance the industry and help grain farmers play their part in Australia’s economic recovery.
The wins for Australian growers include:
- Funding to improve mobile towers on key transport routes and to expand fixed wireless
- Funding to connect regional Australia’s ports
- Support for growers looking at carbon and biodiversity
“These announcements will enable growers and the grains sector to maintain its current position, but what the Australian economy needs is growth,” said Brett Hosking, GrainGrowers Chair.
“There are still opportunities that decision makers need to consider, particularly as they focus on their election commitments. Growers utilise good business decision making processes and government’s role is to make the investments and the settings that support this.”
GrainGrowers is seeking commitments to:
- Strengthen critical input supply chains
- Secure and sustain market access
- Overhaul freight infrastructure and improve telecommunications
- Create a level playing field within the grains supply chain
- Reset Australia’s biosecurity system
- Develop climate adaption tools
“There have been some good announcements, including $17.9 billion for new or to improve infrastructure, but we are calling for funding on the basics such as money to keep our existing infrastructure in a reasonable condition so we can get our grains to the local site or onto the freight corridors to ports.”
“I have spoken to growers who have roads that are unsafe for their vehicles and equipment, some who have even had contractors refuse to complete work because they won’t travel along them.”
“Our growers produce almost $13 billion in gross value to the Australian economy. We want to produce more bumper harvests, but we need investment in the right tools to support this.”
“We believe that working in partnership with our political leaders produces the best outcomes for our growers and the challenges facing growers, and the community where they work and live, will be addressed.”
Download images: Dropbox