Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The countdown is on for the nation's premier cattle industry expo, Beef Australia 2015. The event is being staged in Rockhampton , Australia's beef capital, from May 4 to 9. As an election commitment to Capricornia, the Australian government has provided $2.5 million to help fund the expo.

Sadly, one of Australia's great cattle industry characters, Graeme Acton, will be missed at next year's event following his tragic death in a campdrafting accident this year . In his honour, I am pleased to inform the House that Beef Australia has launched the Graeme Acton Beef Connections program. This is a mentoring program open to 25- to 35-year-olds working in any aspect of the beef industry including production, processing, marketing and agribusiness. Participants will be paired with a mentor who has proven agricultural leadership skills. It offers young people in the industry an opportunity to follow their beef business dreams.

Our beef industry is an important part of our nation's agribusiness sector and our government supports the education and growth of young future beef leaders.

I commend Beef Australia on the mentoring initiative and look forward to meeting the successful young participants in Rockhampton at Beef Australia 2015.