Jan Davis: ABC pic
I am buoyant. I always have faith in Tasmanian farmers, but my faith in them has been reinvigorated, reinforced by the events of the past week. I refer, of course, to the TFGA’s biennial conference and its annual general meeting, held at Country Club Tasmania in Launceston.
We make a practice of not giving our new life members any notice of the honour that is about to be bestowed upon them. We try to ensure that they attend the AGM so that we can present them with life membership, but we prefer to make it a surprise for them on the day. Anyone who doubts this would only have to have seen the reactions of Gwendolyn Adams AM and Allan Cameron AM when they heard they were to be recipients.
Gwendolyn is one of our living treasures, a woman who regarded herself as a city girl in Launceston until the farm upon which she had grown up appeared to be passing out of the family. She took on the task of running Leighlands (it’s the model farm on the Midland Highway opposite the airport turn-off south of Perth). In doing so, she took on extensive outside responsibilities: Tasmanian Women in Agriculture, the Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council, the Fox Taskforce, the International Agricultural Exchange Association, the Tasmanian Landcare Fund.
Allan Cameron, one of our leading producers of superfine wool, has been a long time champion of Tasmanian agriculture through its various membership organisations over the years. He served for many years on the TFGA Wool Council and was chairman at a difficult time in the wool industry. He was on the Wool Council of Australia as a councillor and as a member of the executive at a time when the crisis with the wool stockpile developed.
Allan would regard himself as being as tough as old boots. He has always voiced his opinions strongly and never backed away from a fight where he thought right was on his side, but I have to say that both Allan and Gwendolyn were genuinely moved by the honour we paid them with life membership. Gwendolyn was lost for words and Allan almost.
We farewelled some giants in our industry as they retired from our board: Keeton Miles, Roger Swain and Rupert Gregg. Roger and Rupert are past presidents of the TFGA and their advice has been invaluable to both president David Gatenby and myself. I, for one, will not allow them to slip into rural obscurity. They are a resource we cannot afford to lose. Corporate knowledge is a great asset among the farming community.
We also welcomed new board members Matthew Ryan, Alan Davenport and Brett Hall, our commodity council directors. And David Gatenby was re-elected as president for another year.
I know many people who attended the conference just loved meeting up again with one of Australia’s most popular agriculture ministers of years gone by, John Kerin. He is 75 and has lost nothing. He is still a voracious reader, active on many boards and has an opinion on everything and everyone. In private he regaled us with his stories and impersonations of Gough. In public, when asked his advice, he said, “If I was God again …”
National Farmers’ Federation president Jock Laurie was a huge bonus for the conference, constantly offering his insights in the future and into the machinations of government.
But for me the take home message was the inspiring leadership of some Tasmanian farmers, who lead and talk by example – and I speak of people such as James Walch, Ian Dickenson and Richard Gardner. They speak their mind, they speak it well and I know they made a lot of sense to a lot of people.
All in all, a great week and one which reinforces the bright future of farming in Tasmania.
