Address to Agrifood Skills Australia Dinner
Brisbane, 10 November 2009
PLEASE NOTE: This is the draft speaking notes only and not the full address actually presented by the Minister.
Draft speaking notes
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries are putting in considerable effort and resources towards addressing the skills labour shortage in the primary industries.
Under the one of the pillars of the Fresh Approach initiative, we are investing heavily in publically funded skills development.
I want to meet the defined needs of industry and the challenges of the global agribusiness marketplace.
In most industries there is a structured training model linked which helps drive investment and industry priorities.
To do this for agriculture, we need to develop an understanding of how government funding for skills and labour is determined, and how we can improve skills and labour issues in agriculture.
This will be achieved through collaborative partnerships with the Australian Agricultural College Corporation (AACC) and the Queensland University sector.
We are also promoting the benefits of careers in agriculture through the Gateway School for Agribusiness program.
The Gateway program is designed to create and market rewarding and attractive career paths in all aspects of primary industries to high school students.
As part of the broader agency, the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, we have identified a clear role for supporting regional/industry development through a strategic workforce development approach.
This approach brings together all stakeholders in priority locations to ensure industry and communities have an optimal supply of skilled labour.
Current trends in the agricultural labour market indicate change is required.
Clearly, we need to deliver better, more flexible training to attract people into the Primary Industries, and to meet the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce.
In order to attract and retain more skilled labour in the industry, agriculture needs to be promoted as successful, sustainable and responsible, with a diversity of challenging and rewarding careers.
The AACC will play a key role in QPIF skilling strategy.
QPIF is working with the AACC to develop and implement key industry partnerships and new models of delivery.
We held extensive consultation with industry peak bodies and dialogues with industry and the community in the Burdekin, Dalby, Emerald, Mareeba and Longreach.
Feedback from the dialogues for action strongly support the reinvigoration of the AACC into a more industry-relevant organisation, one that meets the existing and emerging needs of industry across Queensland.
The key point is change was needed, and as a government we are delivering.
We will continue to work hard to support agriculture in Queensland, and our primary producers are second to none.
I am therefore pleased to report that we are forecasting another year of significant growth in the sector.
We expect the value of Queensland primary industries commodities to increase to $13.82 billion in the 2009-10 financial year, which is 9% higher than last year.
Key sectors showing improvement are live cattle exports, which are expected to improve by 14% to $125 million.
Including live and frozen beef, our total beef commodities exported account for 59% of national beef exports.
Even more impressive are the forecasts for our crop sectors.
Queensland accounts for about 95% of national raw sugar production, and sugarcane production is expected to exceed 2008 expectations by 38%.
This is driven by world sugar prices reaching a 28-year high - at around $450/tonne.
These figures are impressive when you consider the floods we battled earlier in the year and the fact that 35% of the State remains in drought.
As many of you will be aware, I am taking a Fresh Approach to agriculture, which is based on future reform.
I believe the sector will be worth $34 billion by 2020 – almost three times current value.
To help drive the Primary Industries forwards, our key achievements in the last twelve months include:
• The opening of the $33 million Centre for Advanced Animal Science at Gatton in partnership with the University of Queensland
• A new $8 million agri-science hub in Mareeba, to consolidate research, development, extension, education and training on the Atherton Tablelands
• An $8.6 million Queensland Crop Development Facility at Redlands
• Continued development of the $300 million Ecosciences Precinct at Boggo Road and the $70 million Health and Food Sciences Precinct at Coopers Plains
• Opening the $5 million upgrade at Bribie Island Research Centre to house sustainable fisheries research
QPIF is working with industry and key stakeholders to promote the agribusiness sector.
The bloom in the gloom, is the primary industries sector, which has continued to grow despite global economic uncertainty, and we’re fostering that growth.
We’re also promoting the opportunities available for people who want to move to rural and regional Queensland.
Last weekend, almost 6-thousand people attended the Country & Regional Living Expo in Brisbane.
The Expo provided people with an opportunity to talk with community organisations and businesses from rural and regional Queensland.
The Expo also gave 30 local government areas and communities the opportunity to market themselves and display the benefits of living and working in their region.
More than 50 Business & Investment opportunities and 350 jobs from across country and regional Queensland were promoted at the Expo.
Of the people who completed visitor registration forms, 62 percent said they wanted to move to regional Queensland within two years - 52 percent were aged between 26 and 55, of good working age.
Clearly, people want to relocate to rural and regional Queensland, and the good news was the skills of people who attended the Expo.
The Expo was promoted by the Bligh Government and was assisted by funding from our Blueprint for the Bush program.
The Program is designed to foster and support sustainable, liveable and prosperous rural communities in Queensland.
The Blueprint introduces new strategies for rural infrastructure and services, and strengthens existing measures that are working well.
Importantly, the Blueprint for the Bush program will help maintain and improve the lifestyle, economic opportunities, environment and other aspects of rural Queensland.
Its about making a difference by meeting the challenges of change - in population, climate, technology and on the land.
There is a need to take a long term view on skill shortages, labour attraction and career pathways in the Primary Industries.
As the issues are complex, developing strategies with key stakeholders is necessary to address major workforce, skills and training issues.
We must do this for the primary industries to remain competitive and sustainable into the future.
I believe we need to take advice from Agrifoods Skills Australia, on a state and federal level.
It’s my belief that Agrifoods Skills Australia need to present annually on priorities to the Primary Industries Ministerial Council and we need to influence the priorities.
PIMC has agreed to invite Agrifoods Skills Australia to present to its next meeting on priority actions to enhance the Primary Industries workforce and skills.
Thank you.