16 Feb 2015
THE Queensland Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the swearing in of the new Cabinet of the Palaszczuk government.
QFF CEO Dan Galligan said that the QFF would work with key Ministers over the coming months and years to ensure they understood the opportunities and challenges facing the State’s intensive agricultural industries. He said that particular Ministers that the QFF would look to work immediately included:
- Bill Byrne, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Sport and Racing;
- Anthony Lynam as Minister for Natural Resources and Mines and State Development;
- Jackie Trad, as Deputy Premier and Minister for Planning, Local Government and infrastructure
- Yvette D’Ath as Minister for Skills and Training and Attorney General;
- Mark Bailey as Minister for Energy and Water Supply and Main Roads and Road Safety;
- Steven Miles as Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef.
“QFF will be looking to meet with Ministers as a matter of priority to explain the immediate needs of agriculture from the State Government,” Mr Galligan said. “There are a range of important issues that need attention. These include rapidly rising electricity costs, skills and training and workforce development, a continuation of the successful components of land access and regional planning processes, and progress on local management of irrigation schemes.
“More broadly, the biggest issue facing the Cabinet will be having mechanisms for ensuring that the multiple portfolios that are relevant to agricultural businesses are working together to deliver a stable, state wide policy framework.
“With tight budgets and a need to target jobs growth, it is obvious that we will need to continue to work hard at demonstrating a positive and progressive future for agricultural businesses. A new set of Ministers will provide opportunities for farmers, agribusiness and supply chain participants to demonstrate how they can continue to play their role in a prosperous Queensland.”
Mr Galligan said that QFF would work constructively with the Palaszczuk Government on achieving positive outcomes for the State’s farmers.
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