Gavin Pearce (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Morrison government is committed to supporting Australian agriculture, which of course includes aquaculture and forestry, to achieve its ambitious goal of $100 billion in farmgate sales and output by 2030. It's important for our nature and for our ongoing food security and economic recovery.

Already, unmet demand in agriculture is significant. Recent figures indicate that there are five jobs for every graduate in agriculture. This is why I fully support the federal government's decision to reduce the out-of-pocket costs for students studying a degree in agriculture by 62 per cent. It has meant that young people are investigating this pathway for the first time and asking the question, 'Could agriculture be for me?' The answer is, of course, yes. Enrolments in the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture's science degree have almost doubled this year—good news for agriculture.

These are smart, well-paid jobs that offer an exciting career path that could take you anywhere over the nation or throughout the world. Today's agriculture is about drones, robots, cutting-edge AI, GPS systems, problem solving and research. Skills in agriculture, maths, teaching, nursing, clinical psychology, English and languages, science, health, architecture, environmental studies, IT and engineering are all in demand, and it's because of the federal government and its increased public contribution made to these courses, making these courses more affordable than ever before. (Time expired)