TasFarmers Matters - The Reality of red tape

RED tape is a daily reality for farmers, with all levels of government, their departments, and government business enterprises cutting across the bow of agriculture.

TasFarmers has been fighting this battle for over five years, calling for meaningful reductions in red tape. 

It’s not just the rural community that’s impacted; the entire business community feels the flow-on effects.

Everyone understands the frustration when faced with a mountain of paperwork and pointless admin. 

Some regulation is necessary, and yes, Australian food is trusted around the world as clean, green, and ethical because of these standards. That’s what gives our farmers market access and upholds our biosecurity.

But producing that food and fibre comes at a cost. 

The time and money required to meet compliance reduces returns. 

Meanwhile, the broader supply chain reaps the benefits, often turning huge profits while giving little back to the farmers or rural communities that keep the whole system going. 

Even through the lens of corporate social responsibility, the imbalance is stark.

Compliance and red tape are everywhere. Before animals even leave the farm for the saleyards, the producer has spent 10 minutes filling out vendor declaration forms. 

A lot of guarantees are made so that exporters and buyers can assure their customers about animal welfare and provenance. 

But none of this guarantees a return, only access to the market.

Before we get stock to the farm gate for transporting, we’ve already applied for a Property Identification Code (PIC), purchased and registered tags, recorded treatments, and tracked batch numbers for chemicals. Every step is logged. Every detail stored.

It all falls on the farmer. Want to build water storage for stock? You’ll need permits. Installing a bore? More paperwork. Farmers cover the full cost and carry the entire administrative load to get it done.

When it comes to fire permits, we’ve been calling for the digitalisation of burn permits for more than a decade. 

The slow uptake of technology is a symptom of a system resistant to change, and it proves why the government’s reform program is not just timely, but essential.

What farmers want is a proactive approach and real inclusion—a seat at the table when the rules are written. 

We need a shift toward partnership, not another top-down imposition. Farmers can’t keep absorbing the costs and juggling mountains of paperwork while others profit from their efforts.