Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. How is the Albanese Labor government rebuilding our trading relationships to deliver more opportunities for Australian farmers and producers? How does this compare to other approaches, and why are strong relationships key for our farmers and our regional communities?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank our terrific member for Paterson. She is Chair of Standing Committee on Primary Industries, and she's done a mountain of work about food security and the importance of farmers in our region. I do want to thank her. She, of course, knows how important our trade outcomes are for farmers and regional communities.

While those opposite have remained focused on themselves for months, we've been focused on delivering more opportunities for our farmers and our producers to export their world-class products. This is delivering record success for our farmers and our producers, with ABARES predicting agricultural exports will reach over $83 billion this financial year—that's over $83 billion this financial year from our farmers. This is testament to the hard work and resilience of our farmers, backed, of course, by our government's careful and considered work to diversify trade and restore Australia's standing in the world, because we know that more trade is good for our farmers, good for regional jobs and good for local economies.

Since coming to government, we've delivered 256 market access achievements and improvements for agricultural products. We now reach around 190 countries. It's the most diversified our agricultural trade has ever been. We've secured the removal of $80 billion worth of trade impediments from our largest trading partner. We've delivered Australia's first free trade agreement with the Middle East, which slashed around $50 million a year in tariffs on Australian agricultural and food exports. This agreement with the UAE has now seen $67 million worth of Aussie beef exported in just its first two months. We've secured new market access for Australian blueberries to Vietnam—trade worth around $22 million. We've improved access for wheat exports to Indonesia. This is a market worth $1.5 billion. It took a Labor government to secure these market access improvements for our farmers and our producers, because we understand that relationships require stability, consistency and trust.

But, Mr Speaker, if you want a lesson on how not to manage a relationship, you've just got to look at the shambles opposite of the Liberals and the Nationals splitting twice in a mere two months. If they can't manage their own internal relationships in opposition, let alone Australia's international relationships during government, how are they fit to govern again? Our farmers and our producers deserve so much better, which is why on this side of the House we will continue securing more trade opportunities for our farmers. While those on that side of the House focus their attention on who's on the menu, we're getting on with what's on the menu—and the Albanese Labor government will continue to support our farmers.