A “tough” state Budget is insufficient in itself to restore business confidence in Tasmania, the peak farmers group, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA), said today.
“What the state lacks is a vision for the future and a plan to implement that vision,” TFGA chief executive Jan Davis said.
She was commenting on the latest Sensis Business Index showing diminishing business confidence in the state. In response, Premier Lara Giddings has said today that a tough budget will help to restore that confidence.
“A tough budget alone is simply not enough”, Ms Davis said. “This is a typical response from a government that views the future in terms of one budget to the next, one election to the next, rather than the long-term. Tasmanians deserve better than that,” she said.
The TFGA has been pressing successive state governments to commit to an economic development plan for the state that recognises agriculture as one of the main drivers.
“Just to talk about a Food Bowl all the time does not amount to a coherent vision,” Ms Davis said. “Every state thinks it is the food bowl of the nation.
“On behalf of the state’s farmers, we have offered time and time again to facilitate a strategic planning process to set down the path of agriculture in Tasmania’s economic future – but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
Ms Davis said that farmers had been excluded from any meaningful consultation on an overall plan for the state, despite the fact that the vibrant agriculture sector generates almost 20% of the state’s income. Farmers are also responsible for 26 per cent of forest cover in the state and yet have not been consulted by the government in the current forestry talks.
“When times are difficult, you want to hear more than talk about a tough Budget. A leader has to paint a picture of the future that can be achieved when we work together. Strong partnerships and a shared vision will deliver secure future for all Tasmanians – and farmers stand ready to play their part”, Ms Davis said.
Jan Davis http://www.tfga.com.au/
