Qld ag a key sector for election ’10

If the amount of political advertising on the television is a barometer of the pressure building for an election, then Prime Minister Julia Gillard will make a visit to the Governor General any day now.
When she does, it will end the faux campaign that began when she took over as leader, and will see her and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott flying around the country vying for the hearts and minds of voters, announcing new or revamped existing policies hoping to grab positive headlines.
When the campaign begins, it is no secret that both major parties will have a strong focus on the string of marginal electorates along the Queensland coast.
In some of these seats, the margins are on such a knife-edge that here at QFF we think they would be too difficult for even the World-Cup-oracle octopus, Paul, to forecast the result.
Of the 16 electorates in regional Queensland, five are on a margin of less than three percent, including the most marginal seat in the country, Herbert.
The seats on the narrow margins are Hinkler (Bundaberg), Fairfax (Sunshine Coast), Herbert (Townsville), Dickson (region north of Brisbane), Flynn (Gladstone), and Dawson (Mackay). The rural seat of Leichhardt (Cairns and the Gulf) would also be considered “in play” because of high unemployment in the region and the return of a former Member as a candidate.
With an estimated 61,000 farmers and farm workers in Queensland, it is obvious that the farmer vote will be crucial in all of these regions.
In the Senate, there are four LNP senators and two ALP senators up for re-election, following the six-year anniversary of the anti-Labor vote against Mark Latham.
A result that splits the senators evenly would bring the ALP closer to gaining a workable balance in Canberra.
Should the sixth Queensland spot be won by either the ALP or the Greens, the new Senate would probably be constituted with the Greens holding the balance of power in their own right.
Farmers would be wary of such a scenario.
In the last three years, just two examples of the Senate affecting change for rural Australia included the blocking of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) and changes for rural students with proposed changes to Youth Allowance.
The Nationals led the block to these changes, but their job would have been a lot tougher if the ALP and the Greens could have formed a majority voting bloc of their own.
After the election, the CPRS could rise again, and certainly an emissions trading system of some form will, and the changing Senate dynamic could mean it would need Greens approval to become law.
Other controversial legislation will also need amendments favourable to a Senate dominated by a minor party or independants. Historically this leads to a very difficult legislative and political dynamic
At QFF, we are willing to work with all political parties whether in government or in opposition but the thought of a “green dominated CPRS” is one that would not sit comfortably with many Queensland farmers.
While we won’t be pre-empting the result, this election is going to be a close contest, and one that will obviously decide the direction of our country for the following three years.
Whether we are talking about individual electorates or the entire State, the agricultural sector provides an underlying framework of support for the economy at a regional level but just as importantly it stands justifiably at central stage to the health of the national economy.
Therefore, it is vital that all political parties have a focus on ensuring a vibrant primary industries sector.
This week we have sent to all political leaders our election issues statement. As a quick summary, the headline issues are: water reform; biosecurity; climate change policy; drought reform; natural resource management and security; and research and development.
With the election imminent, we want all parties to outline how they will provide policy investment security that will allow for an increase in the productivity and sustainability of Queensland farms now and in the future.