In Parliament last night, I asked the Minister for Ariculture, Fisheries and Forestry how the 2012-2013 budget helps fulfill the election promise to double food production by 2040.
Mr BENNETT: My question without notice is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Can the minister advise how the budget will help Queensland primary producers to double food production by 2040?
Mr McVEIGH: I thank the member for his question because I know full well how important agriculture, fisheries and forestry are to him in his electorate. Agriculture’s future, as the House knows, is one of the four pillars of the Queensland economy and has been secured in the Newman government’s first budget and, as such, will help Queensland along the path through this budget of doubling food production by 2040. The budget delivers on the government’s priorities—$442.4 million has been invested in the now stand-alone department of agriculture.
Funding is being directed into key areas, including $7.6 million over four years for research and development to increase productivity of Queensland’s key export industries. This includes $3 million to build research and development capacity; $4.6 million specifically for sugar research development and extension to increase the productivity of Queensland’s $1.2 billion sugarcane industry; and $4.8 million for research to develop Queensland as the food bowl of Asia, as announced by the Treasurer just yesterday—as a leading exporter of pulses to Asia, especially India.
We are also working hard to improve the availability of labour and skills for Queensland’s agricultural industries by investing some $3.5 million over three years in workforce planning and training. This breaks down into half a million to develop a horticulture workforce plan and $3 million to improve training in conjunction with the industry, universities, training providers and schools. We are also investing in our strategic agricultural cropping land audit, which will help identify current and future food production areas in Queensland.
Fisheries is another important industry sector and we recognise this, with $10 million over two years including $9 million for the voluntary buyback program of commercial fishing licences N1 and N2 and up to $1 million for sustainability measures including enhanced monitoring of fisheries on a regional basis. Biosecurity services are another big winner, with $6 million over four years including 15 new frontline officers.
In capital works programs there is $3 million for new facilities in beef, $4 million for upgrades in research and development facilities across the state, and $1.1 million to continue replacing boats and operational facilities for fisheries research. This common-sense budget is all about getting Queensland’s agriculture back on track. Our primary producers and stakeholders, such as AgForce and Queensland Farmers Federation, understand that. As Minister for Agriculture, I look forward to working with them and the industries across the state to ensure that we double the food production by 2040.