TFGA says Greens are right out of touch

Tasmanian farmers are stunned at the Greens’ latest target: the state’s irrigation schemes. According to the Greens’ leader, Kim Booth, the schemes should be set aside to save the jobs of public servants.

“This positioning is naïve and simplistic,” Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis said today.

“These are not either/or propositions. I cannot believe that any rational politician in the year 2014 could espouse such a policy.

“Everyone knows it is private enterprise that creates jobs, not government. Farmers are investing enormous amounts of money across the state – creating jobs, supporting local communities and driving other industries.

“Mr Booth’s assertion that there had been no business case developed for irrigation is patently incorrect. The state government insists on a business case for each scheme before it is referred to the federal government; the federal government then reviews that business case before it signs off on its funding contribution. Each farmer then makes a business decision around their own investment; and that business case then is independently assessed by their financiers before approving any loan funds,” Ms Davis said.

“It is hard enough getting farmers to open their wallets at the best of times, and they certainly don’t spend their own money without having a clear idea of the business case supporting such investments.

“They are parting with tens of millions of dollars to invest in irrigation schemes. On top of that, for every $1 spent to get water to the farm gate, they will invest a further $5 to install infrastructure on their farms to deliver water to paddocks and to effectively drought-proof their farms.

“Mr Booth’s comments are insulting – no farmer does that without a clear plan for a return on that investment,” Ms Davis said.

She said Mr Booth had made no effort to understand government processes around investment in irrigation in Tasmania.

“Not only that, his comments have made it clear that he does not understand agriculture; he does not understand business; he does not understand the concept of economic growth; and he does not even understand what was meant by the Green’s catchphrase of ‘clean, green and clever’,” Ms Davis said.

“This is a major policy turnaround for the Greens, who have in the past supported public/private partnership investment in irrigation and in clever farming. Yet there has been no consultation with farmers – or, as best we can tell, with anyone else,” she said.
TFGA Chief Executive Jan Davis