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The Coalition Government has reinforced its commitment to natural resource management in rural and regional Australia by extending the Natural Heritage Trust with $1 billion for a further five years from 1 July 2002.
This funding is additional to the Government's $700 million commitment to the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Together, the two commitments represent an unprecedented investment in protecting and enhancing Australia's environment and natural resources.
The Trust is a partnership of all Australians, drawing together individuals, communities and governments to target our environmental problems at their source.
The Trust focuses on five key environmental themes land, vegetation, rivers, coasts and marine, and biodiversity. The Natural Heritage Trust will continue to promote agriculture based on sound natural resource management, as well as protecting our unique biodiversity through improved management of resources.
$65 million in Commonwealth funds will be committed in 2001-02 to the initial stages of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. A seven year $700 million Commonwealth Government initiative, in partnership with regional communities, the Action Plan will be matched by funding from the States and Northern Territory. The Action Plan will address one of Australia's largest environmental challenges.
The core of the Action Plan will be integrated regional plans developed at the local community level and which target twenty-one priority regions across the country.
The Action Plan represents the first concerted national strategy to address salinity and water quality - two of the most significant issues confronting Australia's rural industries, regional communities and our environment.
Over the last four years, the Government has responded to longstanding weaknesses in the quarantine system. In 1997, the Government committed an additional $76 million to the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. Further funding was provided in the 2000-01 Budget. These increased resources have seen the number of AQIS staff at the border increased from about 400 in 1997 to almost 700 in 2000.
In this Budget, the Government commits further funding to ensure that our country remains free of exotic pests and diseases, following outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the United Kingdom and Europe.
In the 2001-02 Budget, the Government will provide an additional $596 million funding for quarantine including:
The additional resources will enable:
This ongoing funding will allow the reinforcement of quarantine measures across-the-board to protect the nation's vital agricultural industries and the environment for a wide range of disease and pest threats.
The Federal Government will provide $26.4 million over the next four years for the Agricultural Development Partnerships programme as part of its commitment to regional and rural Australia.
The programme will provide assistance for structural adjustment, targeted to specific agricultural industries and regions experiencing significant problems affecting farm viability.
The programme will strengthen local agricultural industries, enhance the management of the natural resource base and promote stronger rural and regional communities.
The Federal Government will provide $21.7 million over five years to expand and enhance the New Industries Development Programme (NIDP) and support Australian agribusinesses in gaining the business skills and resources to successfully launch new agribusiness products, technologies and services.
The New Industries Development Programme (NIDP) will boost efforts to improve Australia's performance in the development and commercialisation of new innovative agribusiness products, services and technologies.
Through initiatives supported under the enhanced programme, Australian agribusiness enterprises will gain the business skills and resources required to successfully commercialise new agribusiness products, services and technologies.
The benefits through business and job growth will flow through to rural and regional Australia, in particular.
The Government will provide $3 million in this year's Budget for the development of a National Food Industry Strategy to help secure the food industry's future success.
The aim is to put in place a strategic framework of actions by both industry and Government for the growth of a sustainable, innovative and globally competitive Australian food industry in an era of increasing globalisation.
The food industry has made significant gains in past years, recording, on average, an 8 per cent increase in exports each year over the past 10 years. The Strategy will build on the industry's success to date and boost its international competitiveness.
Development of the Strategy will involve extensive consultations with all sections of the industry and regional communities.
The Government will provide $17.4 million from 2001-02 to 2003-04 to extend the Agriculture - Advancing Australia (AAA) Rural Financial Counselling Service as part of the Government's commitment to rural and regional Australia.
The programme assists primary producers in agriculture, fishing and small rural enterprises, who are experiencing financial hardship and have no other source of financial advice.
Financial Counsellors assist clients in rural and regional Australia, particularly farm businesses, to help them deal with a range of financial pressures and adjustment issues.
This reflects the Government's ongoing commitment to rural and regional Australia in helping primary producers make the most of changing market conditions. It provides an effective safety net to assist primary producers, who are experiencing financial hardship, to plan their future.
A major three-year, $1.3 million, Young People in Rural Industries initiative will encourage young Australians to make a greater contribution to policy development and rural industry leadership.
The initiative targets 18-35 year-olds who have chosen a career in Australia's agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries, including the food and natural resource management sectors. The key component - the Young Rural Leaders Programme - includes a leadership course, study scholarships and training for improved corporate governance skills. It is expected that, at the end of the three years, more than 200 young people will have participated in the programme.
The Young People in Rural Industries programme has four key components:
The programme includes $30,000 sponsorship to the National Farmers Federation's Young Farmers Forum, which brings together over 100 young farmers and other primary producers from around Australia to discuss national issues affecting rural industries.
A national development fund of $2 million has been established to support the volunteers who form the backbone of Australia's agricultural shows. The new programme will provide training to support training in areas such as show administration, finance, occupational health and safety, marketing and management. The Federal Government is investing in regional and country shows because they serve as important focal points for community life and as venues for the exchange of agricultural ideas and innovation.
The Government is providing an additional $140 million of federal assistance measures for the dairy farmers and dairy communities most affected by the deregulation of Australia's milk market by State governments.
This funding is in addition to the Federal Government's $1.78 billion adjustment package and the recently announced $18 million for dairy farmers adversely affected by flooding in northern New South Wales. Dairy farmers in all States who meet the eligibility criteria will receive payments.
The $140 million package includes:
The Government's decision follows a report by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics which revealed that the decline in market milk prices has been greater than expected, particularly in the former quota States of New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.