Agriculture is a significant contributor to the economic and social fabric of Queensland, however, the sector faces a range of challenges impacting farmers and regional communities. This year’s Queensland Government State Election has presented an important opportunity to amplify our collective advocacy efforts with organisations aligned with the priorities of QFF and our peak body members.
Earlier this year QFF campaigned strongly alongside the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), the Queensland Conservation Council and industry peak bodies to oppose the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project proposed for the Great Artesian Basin (GAB).
This campaign included a delegation to the Queensland Premier which strongly articulated the whole of community opposition to CCS in the GAB from agriculture, local communities, and conservationists. In May 2024, Premier Steven Miles responded to our collective concerns, announcing a ban on CCS in the Queensland component of the GAB. QFF continues to work alongside our peak body members to secure these protections at a national level.
In August QFF joined a group of leading Queensland organisations including RACQ, LGAQ, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Queensland, the Queensland Trucking Association, and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, calling on the Queensland and Federal government to commit to a 10-year funding plan to fix the Bruce Highway.
The Bruce Highway is a critical conduit for the state’s agricultural industries and regional communities. The current state of the highway is inadequate, jeopardising the future efficiency of our agricultural supply chain, road safety and the liveability of regional communities dependent on it.
The current Queensland Government has subsequently called on the Commonwealth Government to provide $1 billion for urgent upgrades to the highway. This conversation will continue following this weekend’s election, with both parties stating the Federal-State funding split should return to 80-20, as opposed to the current 50-50 split.
Just last week QFF, alongside our peak body members Canegrowers, Cotton Australia and Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers, with the support of LGAQ, urged political parties to commit to prioritising a whole-of-government approach to strengthen the state’s biosecurity surveillance, preparedness, and response capabilities, while also providing leadership in the management of those biosecurity risks that are already present in our State.
QFF welcomed a subsequent commitment from Deputy Premier Cameron Dick to support QFF’s call to develop and implement an effective biosecurity plan. The Liberal National Party had made an earlier biosecurity funding commitment which QFF also welcomed. QFF and our peak body members are advocating for these commitments to be cemented into both parties’ 100-day post-election plans.
These examples show the power of cross-sectoral collaboration and the recognition of the importance our state’s primary producers from various constituencies and communities across Queensland.
QFF will continue to work alongside our peak body members, corporate partners and other peak body organisations across the state to support a strong future for agriculture and regional communities. The opportunities and challenges we face are complex and we must come to the table and work together when priorities align.