BUDGET 2005-2006
AGRICULTURE
Bolstering quarantine defences
Australia’s strict quarantine regime will be maintained with more than $560.9 million over four years provided in the 2005-06 Budget.
The money will be spread across the agencies involved in quarantine — the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), Australian Customs Service and Biosecurity Australia. AQIS will receive $266.1 million to maintain the Quarantine Border Security Programme, and Customs will receive $250 million for its role in quarantine border protection. Biosecurity Australia will receive $39.2 million to provide it with the financial platform needed for its work as a prescribed agency.
$5.6 million will also be provided to AQIS in 2005-06 to continue the enhanced measures to prevent the entry of the Avian Influenza (bird flu) into Australia.
In addition to the $560.9 million being provided to strengthen border security, the Australian Government will contribute $144 million to AQIS over four years to pay the Australian Government’s 40 per cent contribution to the cost of export certification and inspection charges.
Industry Partnerships
The Industry Partnership Programme will receive funding of $15 million over the next three years commencing in 2005-06, building on the success of the Australian Government's one-year, $4.7 million pilot programme.
The initiative is part of the Australian Government’s $1 billion Agriculture — Advancing Australia package, which includes highly successful programmes, such as FarmBis, Farm Help and Farm Management Deposits.
The Industry Partnership Programme will enable industries to form a partnership with the Australian Government to analyse their strengths and weaknesses and to identify and address threats and opportunities over a five to 10-year period.
Australian HomeGrown campaign
Shoppers looking for 100 per cent Australian-produced food and food products should have their task made easier as a result of a new campaign.
The Budget has provided $3 million to be matched by industry to fund a national rollout of the Australian HomeGrown campaign over the next two years.
This is in addition to Australian Government funding of $500,000 for the successful pilot campaign for HomeGrown run in Coles stores across Victoria between January and March this year. Another $500,000 is also available to support the pilot campaign in 2004-05.
National Livestock Identification Scheme
From 1 July 2005, all states will have commenced roll-out of the National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) for cattle and will have also progressed work on the design of the NLIS mechanism for sheep.
Although the NLIS is essentially a state and territory responsibility, the Australian Government has allocated $20 million over four years to assist at a national level.
Drought assistance
With many parts of the country still gripped by drought, the Australian Government continues to make a major commitment to both drought preparedness and support to farmers. We continue to press the states and territories to also make reforms to drought assistance so as to ensure help is available when and where it is needed.
During the present drought, the Australian Government has been providing direct welfare assistance and business support to farmers. Before this drought is over, it is expected that the Australian Government will have contributed approximately $1 billion in drought assistance measures for farmers.
The Australian Government is delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in tax concessions to assist farmers in drought preparedness, especially through the successful Farm Management Deposits Scheme.
Also at the April 2005 Agriculture ministers meeting in Darwin important progress was made on the further development of a computerised National Monitoring System to streamline the EC application and assessment process. The Australian Government has allocated $600,000 to bring this important drought assessment tool online.
Industry adjustment
Where industries have faced severe problems, the Australian Government has responded with targeted assistance packages to help in the adjustment process.
An unprecedented $1.9 billion is being provided over eight years to assist the dairy industry adjust to changes made by state governments to the milk marketing arrangements.
The Australian Government delivered assistance to the sugar industry with a package worth up to $444 million over five years.
And Citrus growers and nurseries throughout Queensland affected by the discovery last year of citrus canker on two farms in the Emerald area and the subsequent control and eradication program now have access to an Australian Government assistance package worth up to $1.5 million.
Boosting food processing in regional Australia
Another election commitment honoured as part of the Australian Government’s Investing in our Farming Future initiative is the provision of $12 million over four years, starting in 2004-05 to boost food processing in regional Australia.
The programme will help stimulate economic growth through value-adding to food produce before it leaves rural and regional areas. It will also strengthen the associated infrastructure and support network.
Under the programme, individuals, groups of primary producers, or small to medium sized agribusinesses can apply for project funding.
Recreational Fishing Community Grants Programme
The important contribution recreational fishing makes to local economies is recognised in the 2005-06 Budget, with $15 million being provided over three years for a Community Grants Programme.
The Recreational Fishing Community Grants Programme will provide grants up to $100,000 to community groups for a range of purposes, including improvements to infrastructure, such as artificial reefs to attract fish, and tracks and paths to fishing spots.
More than three million people in Australia go fishing at least once a year, and 24 per cent of Australian households fish regularly.
Southern blue fin tuna fishery
Australia will continue to support international scientific research to secure the long-term future of the valuable southern bluefin tuna fishery.
The 2005-06 Budget provides $3 million over three years to continue Australia’s support for the Scientific Research Programme of the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna.
The Australian southern bluefin tuna fishery has an annual gross production value of around $300 million, and statutory fishing rights valued at up to $1 billion.
The industry provides 3,000 jobs in regional South Australia.
Illegal fishing
The Budget provides $181.3 million over four years from 2006-07 to continue patrols and to work with other nations to apprehend and monitor illegal fishers, particularly in the Southern Ocean.
The new programme continues Australia’s fight against illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, and will strengthen our ability to protect the Southern Ocean fisheries and ensure the survival of the Patagonian toothfish fishery.
The Australian Government has also provided $91.4 million over five years from 2005 in the fight against illegal fishing in the Northern Ocean.
International trade service
Funding in the 2005-06 Budget will help open up new opportunities in key markets for Australian exporters.
The Budget provides $9.7 million over four years to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for a new International Food and Agriculture Service to build on the achievements of Australia’s existing bilateral and technical market access efforts.
The service will enable Australia to follow up on the signing of free trade agreements with the United States, Singapore and Thailand with ‘on-the-ground’ action.
Initially, the new service will post two agricultural counsellors overseas to high priority and emerging markets in Asia.
Keeping the Snowy and River Murray flowing
A programme to improve environmental water flows in the River Murray and Snowy River has been assured for a further four years by funding in the 2005-06 Budget.
The Budget provides $30 million under the terms of the 2002 Snowy Waters Inquiry Outcomes Implementation Deed, agreed with New South Wales and Victoria, to deliver water for environmental flows into the two rivers.
The Australian Government has committed $7.5 million annually through the Joint Government Enterprise for Murray Environmental Flows (trading as Water for Rivers) for 10 years until 2012. New South Wales and Victoria have each agreed to commit $15 million annually in the same period.
The Budget funding for Water for Rivers is part of the Australian Government’s ambitious water reform agenda, which includes the National Water Initiative and a $200 million commitment to the Living Murray initiative. Water reform is fundamental to future sustainability of our river ecosystems and communities.
Local action against salinity
Research by the Bureau of Rural Sciences indicates that salt deposits in the Murray-Darling Basin that are likely to be moved into rivers by groundwater can be identified and immobilised.
The 2005-06 Budget meets an election commitment of $20 million over two years under the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality to support Landcare and Waterwatch volunteer groups undertaking a basin-wide monitoring programme to identify where salt enters rivers and streams.
The funds will enable community groups to participate in monitoring and mapping of salinity hotspots in the basin so management options can be delivered for effective local action.
Healthy soils for sustainable farms
The 2005 Budget meets an election commitment of $5 million over four years for the Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms Programme from the Natural Heritage Trust to further aid in the transition from high impact European-style agricultural practices.
The programme will build on our successful industry partnership programme under Landcare and the community-based regional groups established under the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan.
Weed control
The 2005-06 Budget honours the commitment to provide $40 million over four years to the Defeating the Weed Menace Programme.
The programme will target the most threatening and invasive weeds and fund research, biological control and community awareness and action.
The initiative will be largely implemented through the regional groups established under the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Landcare Programme.
Improving animal welfare
Today’s Budget provides $6 million over five years to help implement the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy, endorsed by the Primary Industries Ministerial Council in May 2004.
The Strategy builds on the current framework in Australia to achieve sustainable animal welfare improvements.