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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-31 Daily Xml
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Agricultural Sector

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development a question on farming.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: In The Australian on Tuesday it was reported that Labor Party branches are mobilising to pressure the Labor government to halve emissions from agriculture and end native forest logging and land clearing in a motion which is expected to be put to the party's national conference in August. This motion seeks to create a new land-based emissions reduction strategy and involves developing a land industry carbon plan, ending land clearing and deforestation and reducing methane gases produced by the agricultural sector.

We have already seen in the federal budget the introduction of new taxes on our truckies freighting our agricultural goods, as well as taxes on our farmers to fund biosecurity measures. My question to the minister is: as Minister for Primary Industries in South Australia does she support the motion put forward by Labor Party branches?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:33): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. I think she is referring to Labor Party branches' motions. I am not sure how many Labor Party branches there are around the country, but certainly I think there are—

The Hon. R.A. Simms: They're dwindling after last night.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —at least 47 here in South Australia.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Simms!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Potentially, that could refer then to at least 47 different motions in South Australia alone, if indeed the information she has is accurate. She is talking about Labor Party branches' motions from around the country, which could be any number. If she has a specific motion she wants to refer to, then perhaps she should have provided that.

Of course, native forestry logging is something that has had a lot of attention in recent years, in fact probably in recent decades. Of course, here in South Australia—the Leader of the Opposition may not be aware—we don't have native forestry logging. All of our logging in South Australia is done from sustainable plantations that are planted and replanted.

In fact, the industry is one of the most sustainable in the world in terms of the sustainability of our forest industries. It is also worth noting how much the agricultural industry is already committed to reducing methane gases and to reducing emissions. It is something that I have been delighted to have ongoing discussions on with the various stakeholders in the agricultural sector, and I know our government has been keen to work with all different industries in terms of reducing emissions across all industries here in South Australia.

Of course, we have a number of climate action bodies. In fact, there was a conference very recently here in Adelaide; PIRSA was part of that conference. We, of course, on this side of the chamber continue to invest in improving sustainability, reducing emissions, so that we have a better and healthier future for our state and our nation.

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