- After consistent pressure from QFF, we welcome the move by the Federal Coalition Government to bring the Aussie Farms website under the Privacy Act, exposing it to potential penalties of more than $400,000 if it breaches the Act. Read more about the changes HERE.
- Meanwhile, at a State level, the Palaszczuk Government has made steps in the right direction, announcing that law-breaking activists are to be met with strong new laws at the farm gate. Read Minister Furner’s Statement HERE.
- Following requests from QFF and member industries, the Queensland Government will now be conducting regional hearings on the Environmental Protection (Great Barrier Reef Protection Measures) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay & Bundaberg as well as Brisbane. Find the full details of the hearings details HERE.
- Last week, QFF President Stuart Armitage attended Rabobank’s Farm2Fork Summit in Sydney. The event provided a useful forum to exchange knowledge, solutions and innovations that will help us all create a sustainable future in agriculture and effectively ‘grow a better world together’. Read the Presidents Column HERE.
- QFF Member Growcom says the Fair Work Commission’s decision to give farmers just two weeks to introduce overtime provisions for casual workers has placed unfair pressure on an industry suffering from workforce crisis. Read more HERE.
- If you’re a business owner, manager or supervisor, a strong understanding of your obligations under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011 is essential. Brush up on your knowledge at training in Dalby from the 29th April – 3rd of May. Check out the QFF EVENTS page for more.
- The University of New England has announced a multidisciplinary collaboration to research the unrecognized burden of Q fever in rural New South Wales and Queensland, with the aim of protecting the health of high-risk groups of people living and working in these regions. Read more HERE.
- Energy Queensland have released their ‘Look up and Live’ map for use by all industries. This full annotatable map will enable people to safely plan work around overhead powerlines. You can find the map HERE.
- Not sure what to do in the event of farm trespass? You can read QPS & QDAF’s advice to producers and tips on de-escalation HERE
- Single Touch Payroll is now law and employers with 19 or fewer employees are required to start reporting their tax and super information to the Australian Taxation Office from their payroll software from July 1. Find out more HERE