Tuesday, 26 August 2025

Agriculture sector

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (13:19): I condemn the Allan Labor government for their continuous attacks on farming communities right across Victoria. We have learned over the past couple of weeks of more cuts to Agriculture Victoria. We are hearing that 49 staff will be lost. That includes a number of frontline scientists who are responsible for amazing research that allows those blue-sky ideas to support our farmers so that they continue to be the best farmers in the world. We cannot see this continuous cut of scientists and the established noxious weeds and pests program – things that help our farmers.

We know that this is not the only round of cuts. We have also got the Silver review coming through, and our farmers are still reeling and wondering how on earth they are going to continue to put food on the table and put fibre on our backs when they have got an emergency services tax coming. Our roads continue to deteriorate; getting our freight to market by rail is just so difficult to do and very expensive. Labor do not support the agricultural sector, and it is our Victorian farmers that are paying the ultimate price.