Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Joel Fitzgibbon has slammed the Coalition for offering up policies that are 'light on vision' for Australia’s agriculture sector.
“After being caught out failing to provide the Liberal Nationals’ agriculture policies to the National Farmers Federation, the Coalition has come late to the party, announcing policies that are a pale imitation of those delivered by Labor,” Minister Fitzgibbon said.
“After being missing in action for the entire campaign, the Coalition’s Agriculture Spokesperson John Cobb’s ‘big announcements’ for agriculture has failed the vision test by a country mile.
“At Mr Cobb’s policy launch, there was not a single mention of our biggest export market – Asia. Not a word about securing new well-paid agriculture jobs or making the most of the ‘Dining Boom’. And absolutely zero about investment in skills and driving workforce productivity.
“National’s Leader Warren Truss contribution hasn’t been any better. He too has failed to outline the Coalition’s vision for regional Australia’s future. And failed to outline how a Tony Abbott led Government would create jobs in regional Australia and build a tech-savvy agriculture sector.
“Enticing people to the bush with a payment will do nothing of there’s no jobs and no career path when they arrive.
“The Coalition has again shown they have no plan to help Australia transition from the Mining Boom. Only Labor will build for the future by investing in new industries and new jobs in the agriculture sector.
“Maybe the Coalition is too distracted by the behind-the-scenes battle between the Nationals and Liberals as to who gets Agriculture Minister if Tony Abbott becomes Prime Minister, to take the time to develop decent policies,” Minister Fitzgibbon said.
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