Australians headed to the polls over the weekend to cast their vote in the 2025 Federal Election with the Australian Labor Party and Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese now confirmed to return to government.
Queensland agriculture’s message to all levels of government remains clear: the food and agriculture sector requires strategic focus. From food security to regional development, from water management to workforce and energy reform – these are national issues, and they require strong agricultural policy at their core.
Queensland has played a key role in this election. This election followed an incredibly challenging period for Queenslanders, who have faced three major flood events to date this year. Communities across the north, south-east and south-west have been focused on recovery and rebuilding, and for many, responding to immediate community needs understandably took precedence over the last few months.
Despite this, the of importance of Queensland agriculture gained traction during the campaign on a number of fronts. These included bipartisan commitments to develop a national food security plan – an important step towards recognising food production as a national priority, investment in the mental health of farming communities, and support for improved on-farm safety initiatives.
While these commitments are welcome, there are key issues still requiring urgent collective action at both the state and federal level.
Many of Queensland’s farmers operate small businesses and are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate continually changing labour laws. Reform in this area must be a priority if we are serious about ensuring a sustainable agriculture sector.
The future success of Queensland agriculture depends on long-term investment and coordinated planning in regional housing, roads, and digital connectivity – essential foundations for thriving regional economies to support the agriculture sector.
Queensland is the most weather-affected state in Australia. The frequency and severity of recent natural disasters demand a step change in how we manage risk and prepare for extreme weather. While we do well in some areas, there is a clear opportunity for the federal and state governments to work together on a smarter, more proactive approach to disaster preparedness, resilience and response.
With the election now behind us, it is important that we now get on with it. An effective working relationship between the Queensland Government and the returned Federal Labor Government is essential. The Crisafulli and Albanese governments have already shown that they can work together – as demonstrated by their joint commitment earlier this year to long-overdue Bruce Highway upgrades.
We now call on both levels of government to extend that spirit of cooperation to other key policy areas that matter to our farmers and regional communities including the environment, water management, workforce, infrastructure, and biosecurity.
Queensland is one of Australia’s fastest growing states. The state’s agriculture sector is vital to national food security, regional employment, economic growth and Australian consumers. Now is the time for leadership, vision and action.