Wednesday, 27 August 2025

Agriculture sector

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. A recent VFF survey found nine out of 10 farmers do not believe the Allan Labor government has a positive plan to grow the agriculture industry. How is sacking more than 200 AgVic staff over the past three years alone going to help Victoria’s agriculture industry grow?

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (14:33): Thank you for the question, shadow minister. We know how important agriculture is to Victoria. I am not going to talk it down and say that it is not able to grow. That is just not right. We continue to invest in the sector. We know what it is worth not just to Victoria; it is worth a lot to the whole country. It is incredibly important, and I just reject that we are not allowing it to grow, because exactly what we are doing is ensuring that it does grow.

Matthew Guy interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Bulleen, you have to leave the chamber for an hour.

Member for Bulleen withdrew from chamber.

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:34): The VFF survey also found those same farmers outlined their lack of trust in the Allan Labor government. Minister, is forcing unwanted renewable energy infrastructure onto farms the way you are going to rebuild trust with Victorian farmers?

The SPEAKER: It is a very tenuous link between the first question and the second. I am going to allow it because of the survey.

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers) (14:35): I thank the Member for Lowan for the supplementary question. Farmers are going through an incredibly difficult time right now right across the state. I am not going to add to that by talking them down –

Wayne Farnham interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Narracan can leave the chamber for an hour.

Member for Narracan withdrew from the chamber.

Ros SPENCE: The current drought experience is incredibly difficult for all farmers. I understand their frustration. I understand that they are not feeling great at the moment, which is why we have a drought support package of $144 million not just to help them now while they are in drought but to also provide some critical infrastructure –

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this question is not about drought support; it is about building trust and renewable energy projects being pushed onto their farms.

The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant to the question.

Ros SPENCE: The tenuous link was farmer sentiment, and I am going to that in saying that I understand their current frustrations. They are doing it really tough, and this government will continue to support them whilst they go through and recover from some very difficult circumstances.