Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

It is good to have an opportunity to stand up to talk about the importance of the agriculture sector in Tasmania because, as the member for Lyons has talked about, we are having a resurgence in our agriculture sector in Tasmania and our fine produce is being recognised not just in Australia but around the world. Indeed, I wanted to update some of the figures in the motion that the member for Lyons has moved about the agriculture sector in Tasmania because the latest data out for 2012-13 says the gross value of the agriculture sector in Tasmania has now exceeded $1 billion. Milk is about 26 per cent of that and vegetables account for about 20 per cent of that. Interestingly, the figure for the 20 per cent that vegetables account for is $237 million, and of that $120 million is potatoes. Fruit and nuts are about $130 million of that. So they have certainly grown over the last few years and I think that shows the bipartisan investments that have occurred over the last few years in the sector in Tasmania.

I particularly want to talk about irrigation in Tasmania when we talk about the agricultural sector and its importance. People may recall that state and federal Labor some time ago set up Irrigation Tasmania. Irrigation Tasmania has been a phenomenal success in identifying appropriate irrigation schemes in the state and then going to state and federal governments to get support for those irrigation schemes.

Indeed, state and federal Labor invested more than $220 million in irrigation systems in Tasmania. In 2013 we had on the table two more investments for irrigation in Tasmania. We had $15 million to further the Southern Highlands Irrigation Scheme and we had $9 million for the Dial Blythe as part of our Tasmanian jobs and growth plan. Unfortunately, the $15 million committed 18 months ago for the Southern Highlands Irrigation Scheme was not delivered by the current government. I am pleased to see that it has been delivered now in this budget, where we have seen some extra money for irrigation in Tasmania come from the state and federal Liberal governments. I do support those investments.

I am a bit concerned that the funding for this, as confirmed in Senate estimates, has come from freight rail, which is also very important in terms of the future economic development of our state. The money has been taken out of freight rail and put into irrigation, and I am just putting on the record—

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