TasFarmers Matters - Is anyone listening?

Is anyone listening?

The farming community asks this question continually. Issues are raised, explained, heads are nodded, passive assurances given, reports commissioned, delivered, accepted and then…

It doesn’t take long to compile a lengthy list of issues that are important to agriculture that have been raised, acknowledged and then basically ignored.

Just this week the Tasmanian Government announced proposed changes to the number of local government representatives. This essentially ignores the immense list of more pressing issues relating to local government, such as primary producers’ rates and the way they are calculated, followed by local government amalgamation and the consolidation of councils, not to mention the benchmarking of local government performance.

TasFarmers has made numerous presentations and submissions to the government around local government – was anyone listening? Seems not.

TasFarmers has spent years advocating for significant changes to the way browsing and invasive wildlife is managed, especially feral pests like fallow deer. 

Government has the evidence before it and a range of practical solutions to combat the deer problem, but has it listened? Is anything practical happening? 

Can farmers actually take simple and effective steps to manage deer populations without bureaucratic interference and the pandering to self interest groups? Seems not.

The same with meaningful firearm reforms. TasFarmers and their representatives has long lobbied the state government to make simple changes to the firearm act and the regulations relating to internationally accepted tools such as noise suppressors. The international evidence is overwhelming, yet is anyone in government listening? Seems not.

Federally, is the government listening when the agriculture sector highlights the damage that cheap imports are having on our local farmers across the country? Here’s a fun fact: in 2024, The Australian Bureau of Statistics tells us that 218,306 tonnes of potatoes, including French fries, were imported into Australia. That was an increase of 25 per cent from 2023. That 25 per cent increase in volume only represented a three per cent increase in value. That’s a huge increase in cheap overseas imports that undermines our farmers. Is the Federal Government doing anything about it? Are they listening? Seems not.

The troubling thing for our farming sector is that we are constantly recognised as the economic and social backbone of the state, yet at every turn we are ignored when we put up solutions for key issues. 

It is well understood that Tasmania is in a difficult political situation with no one party holding a majority. Yet this hasn’t always been the case. Many opportunities have been missed, mostly by those who said they would use a majority to take agriculture forward.

There are countless farmers who are extremely frustrated that the Tasmanian parliament is currently under the control of minority interest representatives on the cross bench. While passionate advocates for their specific interest areas, we must ensure that decision making within the parliament represents the balanced interests of the Tasmanian community. The decisions made in the lead up to the current parliament around salmon, greyhounds and forestry were all made extremely quickly – yet the decisions that agriculture is looking for that will make a material difference to our regional economies remain ignored.

Is anyone listening?

Seems not.