[Greens-Media] Vision lacking for agriculture and climate

[Twomey, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

Saturday 22nd September 2007

Vision lacking for agriculture and climate


The Australian Greens said today that we need a vision and a long term strategy for the future of agriculture in Australia.

"Government must do more than short term, stop gap relief measures for farmers, we need to be thinking big picture and the future of agriculture" said Senator Siewert.

"We can't simply expect to return to business as usual for agriculture. Agriculture has to adapt to the changing climate," she said.

"Unfortunately it has taken the Government too long to wake up to this fact and we are now lurching from one crisis to another."

"The Minister for Agriculture, Peter McGauran's recent comments on rain coming eventually highlight why it has taken so long," said Senator Siewert. "He still has his head buried in the sand."

"That may be a novel way of testing soil moisture, but it does little to take us forward when we need clear leadership during times of change," she said.

"We must develop a strategy to ensure the future of agriculture and rural communities in a shifting climate. This strategy must provide more certainty for farmers and address both food security and the need for practical assistance to adapt and thrive long into the future." 

"These poor seasons are no longer 'exceptional' circumstances. What we are seeing is not just one of the worst droughts in history but a shift in our climate. It is unfair to keep landholders hanging on without putting real resources into helping them adapt."

This week the Senate agreed to a Green motion to establish an inquiry into a national agricultural strategy to adapt to climate change.

"This inquiry offers us an opportunity to bring together the best climate and agricultural science to develop a vision for the future of Australian Agriculture," she concluded.