I received an e-mail this week from Nick McKim, Leader of the Tasmanian Greens.

“Dear Jan,” he wrote. “A massive and heartfelt THANK YOU for all you did to support your Green candidates during the election campaign. We could not have achieved what we did without you.

“Whether you helped by door knocking, co-ordinating, putting up posters, walking out leaflets, organising fundraisers, boosting morale, or in any other way, thank you again for the outstanding job you did.”

It will come as no surprise to any of you that Mr McKim’s thanks for my support are most undeserved, most undeserved. I did nothing to promote the election of the Greens. For that matter, I did nothing to promote the election of any party, or any one candidate. Spruiking votes for this party or that is not included in my brief because it is not the role of an advocacy group like TFGA.

I share this because it is symptomatic of the naivety, unprofessionalism, call it what you will, that surrounded this election.

When the TFGA put out the call for the parties’ rural policies, we were met with a deafening silence. My new best friend Mr McKim and his Green Party failed to meet our deadline to tell us what they would do down on the farm when in government. Labor wasn’t much better; it didn’t answer the questions properly. Only the Liberals delivered on time and, by and large, their policy statement reflected many of the issues we have been raising for some time.

We have a couple of tasks now the election results are, if not finalised, certainly clear in the main.

We welcome the Liberals’ commitment to wide-ranging reforms in agricultural policy and we look forward to working with them in government to see these commitments implemented.

The continuation of the irrigation roll-out is a no-brainer. We welcomed the support from both major parties for this program. However, the Liberals have gone a step further; they will spend $500,000 to explore the potential for widening the network of schemes by connecting up to older schemes, such as the one at Cressy, to modernise them and bring irrigation water onto farms not currently served. That’s a smart move.

The shenanigans with cows walking the streets of Ravenswood this week demonstrate the problems of the urban interface with agriculture. Obviously, the local farmer is having all sorts of grief with some of the locals who are destroying his fences, oblivious to the consequences. We have asked the incoming government to review the Primary Industry Activities Protection Act 1995, legislation that protects the right of a farmer to farm without unnecessary interference, particularly from urban neighbours who have no comprehension or tolerance of farming.

Today, we will perhaps learn more of the government’s plans for forestry. The TFGA is being consulted (at last) as a representative of private foresters at a quasi summit.

We will also have to work hard with the Opposition parties to ensure they understand the issues affecting the farming sector; and we have to breathe down the necks of the incoming ministers to make sure they take notice of what we say.

The teacher in me says that I want to see evidence that they have done their homework. I want to make sure they have read our submissions, because there will be tests, you know.

We are at the beginning of a long path. I am optimistic, even excited, about the future of our industry. Our job now is to work with our elected representatives and the public service to ensure that we clear a way to realise the exciting opportunities that are waiting just around the corner.
TFGA CEO Jan Davis’ Tasmanian Country column today