As the second February sitting week wraps up, Australian farmers have secured significant policy victories across biosecurity, taxation, the environment, and trade.
National Farmers' Federation (NFF) President David Jochinke has spent the past fortnight balancing his time between his farm and Parliament, engaging directly with political leaders. He acknowledged the challenges farmers have faced in Canberra and emphasized the importance of recognizing positive outcomes when they are achieved. Jochinke stated that farm advocacy can be a difficult process, but the policy wins of the past two weeks are the result of focused efforts, not only by the NFF but also in collaboration with member organizations.
One major victory was the scrapping of the Biosecurity Protection Levy. With this decision, Australia's 85,000 producers will no longer be required to pay what Jochinke described as a deeply flawed and unfair charge, saving the sector millions. Additionally, the proposed 'Super Tax' was blocked once again by crossbench Senators. This prevented 3,500 farming families from facing a higher tax bill starting in July and also protected 14,000 farmers who own farm assets in their superannuation from additional costs should their property values increase.
Another key achievement was the shelving of the Nature Positive legislation, which would have created a federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and added more regulatory hurdles for farmers. According to Jochinke, putting this bill aside was an important step forward, as it removes a distraction and allows for real discussions on meaningful environmental reforms under the EPBC Act.
Trade negotiations also saw progress, with the Australia-United Arab Emirates Free Trade Agreement receiving approval from the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT). This agreement received bipartisan support, as recommended by the NFF, and will eliminate tariffs on over $2 billion worth of Australian agricultural goods.
Jochinke emphasized that these policy wins collectively deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in either avoided costs or increased supply chain value for Australian farmers. He noted that in his time in advocacy, he could not recall another period where so many major policy victories were secured at once. He reinforced the NFF's role as the farmers' "embassy" in Canberra, ensuring that producers' concerns are heard when crucial policy decisions are made.
However, Jochinke warned that while these outcomes are positive, the work is far from over. With an election approaching, he stressed the need for continued engagement to ensure farmers' voices are heard by candidates nationwide. He reiterated the NFF's commitment to working with all sitting and future politicians, emphasizing that policies supporting agriculture benefit not only farmers but also their communities and the nation as a whole.
For more information:
NFF
Tel: +61 (02) 6269 5617
Email: [email protected]
www.nff.org.au