3 June 2025. Shane McCarthy, AgForce General President.
As the dust settles on another federal election and the post-mortems run their course, the Agriculture industry is readying itself to deal with the new political landscape we have been "Left" with...pardon the pun.
The size of the victory in terms of seats won was astounding, at least partly so because of the relatively small primary vote needed to achieve this.
The clear majority given to Anthony Albanese and Labor may make for a harder time for Ag in some areas moving ahead, but rest assured AgForce is more than ready to roll up our collective sleeves and make sure our voice is heard.
We have to be in every conversation at every level to make sure Ag continues to thrive and move forward in providing food and fibre not just to Australia, but to our export partners as well.
The recent release of the green paper on the importance of Ag in national security can no longer be overlooked. It needs to be given the importance it has long deserved and put front and centre of any conversation the Federal Government is having.
The Federal Government has to not only start realising that Food Security equals National Security - but also put into action policies that help Agriculture thrive and move forward.
This can be simply done by including farmers in all conversations affecting our industry, and not let loud minority groups hijack important decisions by being the only voice in the room.
There is a lot on the agenda of the returning Albanese government, be it reform to environmental laws, trade (especially Live Trade), land use competition, renewables, superannuation tax and deforestation to name but a few. But we cannot - under any circumstances - afford to be left out of the conversation on these and other issues.
Ag is the only industry in the last 10 years to reduce our carbon footprint by more than 60% - proving our innovation and commitment to sustainability.
And we did it far more quickly and effectively than other countries overseas and with far less government help. We are the best of the best at what we do - bar none.
Another concern of industry remains the availability of a skilled and reliable workforce. This governments' approach to immigration and workforce development will be critical to addressing labour shortages emerging in regional areas.
While climate variability remains a pressing concern, AgForce emphasises the need for balanced polices that protect the environment while supporting agricultural productivity.
We look forward to engaging with policymakers to develop practical region-specific solutions without compromising farmers' livelihoods.
As the new government begins its term, AgForce calls for continued dialogue, collaboration, and commitment to ensuring that the voices of regional and rural Australians are heard and their needs addressed.
