29 January 2014
Rob Harris
Weekly Times Now
VICTORIAN winemaker Eliza Brown will form part of Barnaby Joyce’s new Agricultural Industry Advisory Council.
The chief executive officer of All Saints Estate and St Leonard’s Vineyard was today announced as the sole Victorian representative on the 10-person panel.
The Federal Agriculture Minister said the panel formed part of the government’s commitment to “listening to industry, to following through and working in partnership with agricultural industries”.
Luke Bowen, the outgoing head of the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, will also join the committee as well as NSW wool grower Hamish McLaren.
The council will also assist the government to drive regulatory reform as it pledged to reduce red tape.
“Council members have expertise across a wide range of agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries and so are well-placed to inform government about key issues impacting these sectors and provide advice on possible policies and regulatory reform,” Mr Joyce said.
“The council will advise me on issues and challenges facing our industry including returns to the farm gate, attracting investment in Australian agribusiness, ways to increase agriculture’s efficiency, export opportunities and infrastructure priorities for agriculture – just to name a few.”
Rob de Fegely, chairman of NSW’s Cloudy Bay Sustainable Forestry and Queensland grazier Lenore Johnstone were also appointed to the council along with Susan Bower, Westpac’s head of agribusiness.
Queensland-based David Moon, the managing director of horticultural and vegetable business Moonrocks and Stuart Richey, the managing director of Tasmania’s Richey Fishing were their state’s representatives.
Western Australia is represented by Kevin Sorgiovanni, who works in the horticulture, wine and dairy industries. Grain grower Dean Wormald, the director of Mallee Sustainable Farming, will fly the flag for South Australia.
Courtesy of Weekly Times Now