Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about agriculture and the motion that has been proposed. In my thriving electorate of Pearce, the economic contribution made by the agribusiness sector is significant and important to the state of Western Australia and the nation.

Local pioneers farmed the land for generations and many of those families still work the land today as highly successful producers of wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables which are consumed locally, intrastate, interstate and overseas. A true strength that bolsters a region's output is its multigenerational knowledge. These are innovative people who understand the land, the climate, the soils, and the challenges they face as growers.

The area is part of a regional agricultural ecosystem collectively referred to as the north of Perth food zone. Wanneroo sits at the southern point of this approximately $1 billion per annum regional food zone. It produces over 60 agricultural products that play a vital role in the food production chain and critical linkage to local suburban markets and the nation's future food security.

The region provides an important source of high-quality, healthy local produce. More than 17.5 per cent of Western Australia's total vegetable production takes place in my electorate of Pearce, including 70 per cent sweet corn, 35 per cent strawberries, 20 per cent capsicum and 20 per cent beans. This booming agricultural industry benefits from its proximity to industrial development areas and potential supply chain linkages, including the Neerabup industrial area and the metropolitan food supply chain.

Not only is the agricultural industry in Pearce important for feeding communities and ensuring we continue to have fresh produce; it is also a significant job creator, contributing to economic activity and growth, economic diversity and tourism. I always advocate for the growers to ensure they have the support systems and processes in place to enable them to continue to thrive and contribute to the local and national economy.

Australia exports around 70 per cent of our agricultural production. We are a net exporter. Australia exported nearly $4.9 billion of fruit and veg, including preserved fruits, in the year to this September 2022. Over the same time period, Australia imported around 2.8 billion of those commodities, which is about 58 per cent of the value of what we exported.

Protecting our agricultural sector is important to the Albanese Labor government. In August, we released Australia's first National Biosecurity Strategy that outlines the key actions to ensure a stronger biosecurity system. The National Biosecurity Strategy provides clear direction to ensure our system stays fit to meet the challenges of the next decade and beyond and is ready for the biosecurity threats we face.

Our October budget further supports our biosecurity commitment. It provides a $134 million investment in frontline staff, stronger defence against the threat of exotic pests and diseases and 20 new detector dogs. The Albanese Labor government is also supporting extensive research and biosecurity. We are trialling a range of innovative technologies, including new 3D X-ray technology, eDNA diagnostics, and automated detection algorithms for biosecurity risk materials.

Regarding country-of-origin labelling, the Albanese Labor government has committed to working with the seafood and hospitality sectors to implement mandatory country-of-origin labelling. The labelling enables consumers to make informed choices about where the products they buy are made, produced and grown. Measures under Australian Consumer Law also provide protections against false and misleading claims, including on product origin.

The Albanese Labor government is committed to working with industry to explore opportunities to improve price and market transparency to enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability of the agricultural sector. It has successfully progressed legislation amendments to strengthen protections for consumers and small businesses, including primary producers, by making unfair contract terms illegal, as they should be. The legislation also provides a larger number of small businesses with protections due to changes in the eligibility threshold. The Albanese Labor government is committed to working with and supporting the agricultural industry to access the workers it needs. It is important to ensure we have local jobs for local people.

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