AU: Questions raised over citrus representation
Critics of the organisation say there needs to be more transparency, but the Federal Government has investigated the allegations and says steps have already been taken to strengthen governance.
Horticultural consultant, Peter McFarlane, says the system of allocating the money, via the industry owned company Horticulture Australia is not transparent.
"I think it's rotten to the core to be quite frank," he said. "It has to be reformed so the whole structure of Citrus Australia, Horticulture Australia, is operating on good governance principals, and that's not happening."
There has been criticism of Citrus Australia as it has only 300 members - a small percentage of the national total citrus growers.
Sue Brighenti is a citrus grower from Griffith. She says Citrus Australia doesn't speak for all producers.
"I just think it's ludicrous. There are so many growers that are just not members. It's hard to think that you call yourself a peak body."
Despite this Citrus Australia recommends which research, development and promotion projects should be funded.
A significant number of the projects funded were submitted by Citrus Australia. So, directors of Citrus Australia were sitting on a committee deciding whether to award funding to projects put forward by Citrus Australia.
Horticultural consultant Peter McFarlane says that is a potential conflict of interest and there needs to be more contestability in the awarding of funds.
But citrus grower and managing director of Seven Fields horticultural company, Greg McMahon, says there's nothing wrong with the system.
"I don't see it as a conflict of interest at all, In fact, I would be worried if it went the other way, and you had people on the IAC who were less engaged with the citrus industry than those involved in the peak national body."
Chief executive officer of Horticulture Australia, John Lloyd, says proper standards of governance have been met.
"You have always got to be careful of conflict of interest in any organisation but at the end of the day we are here for the growers and to listen to what they have to say."
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry launched an investigation into the operation of the citrus industry advisory committee earlier this year.
It confirmed the majority of members of the IAC were directors of Citrus Australia and the IAC had allocated significant amounts of research and development funding to Citrus Australia.
Last month, Horticulture Australia announced changes to the membership of the committee, to reduce the number of members from Citrus Australia. It also promised to increase transparency.
Chief executive of Citrus Australia, Judith Damiani, says any problems have been addressed.
"What we have got now is a committee of eight people and an independent chair so that issue has now been resolved and is no longer an issue."
Source: abc.net.au
