Interview with Jess McGuire, ABC NSW Drive

E&OE TRANSCRIPT 
RADIO INTERVIEW 
ABC NSW DRIVE 
WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2026 

SUBJECTS: Securing more fertiliser for farmers 

JESS MCGUIRE, HOST: Now, we talk a lot on this program about fuel concerns and the price of petrol, all because of the war in Iran. But are you one of the people in this state that have been worried about fertiliser? Because, yes, the conflict in the Middle East is impacting global supplies of fertiliser, and that could have some knock-on effects impacting fuel supply. So, look, the Federal Agriculture Minister, Julie Collins, has been working on the problem of fertiliser supply and joins us now to talk more. Good afternoon, Minister. 
 
JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Good afternoon, Jess, and good afternoon to your listeners. 
 
MCGUIRE: Now, you have struck a new deal about fertiliser. Can you tell us about it? 
 
COLLINS: Yes, we have been working with Incitec Pivot to secure more urea from Indonesia, and I was pleased to be able to announce today that we've secured over 80,000 additional tonnes of urea. That is a significant amount, and it adds to what we've already been able to secure. So, now underwriting with the Federal Government, working with industry, we've now been able to secure an additional 209,000 tonnes of urea. 
 
MCGUIRE: Wow. Okay, so that sounds like a lot. Where is it going to go to in NSW? 
 
COLLINS: It'll be distributed through commercial providers. That's why we've gone with some of the bigger companies, and we're working with other national companies and with national distribution to make sure that we get it to where it needs to go, right across the country. We do know obviously that some of the farmers in NSW have had a particularly trying time with some drought and drying conditions, and you've had a bit of rain lately in some of those areas, which is good news. And that does mean that there will need to be more fertiliser. So, that's what we're working on. 
 
MCGUIRE: How long will that fertiliser last for that supply? 
 
COLLINS: We have enough currently in Australia or on its way here on the water for the current winter planting season. And this is about making sure that we have more urea for the months ahead. And we'll certainly continue doing everything we can do to secure more urea for Australian farmers. 
 
MCGUIRE: Has it been a big concern of the Government how this crisis might actually impact our food supply? 
 
COLLINS: Absolutely. Usually, around 60 per cent of Australia's urea will travel through the Strait of Hormuz. So, we have had to source it from other parts across the globe, and we've been busy doing that and obviously restoring our international relations, and those trips that our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have undertaken in recent weeks and months, have certainly been incredibly helpful in terms of securing more of the essential fuel and fertiliser that our Australian farmers need. 
 
MCGUIRE: Has this incident, you know, had you been considering supply chains and how we do get essential things like fertilisers? 
 
COLLINS: Absolutely. We've been working on a food security strategy prior to this war in the Middle East, and what it has done really is heightened this. Obviously, that we need to work immediately on the current challenges, but also on the medium and longer term. We also have put some investment into what's known as the Perdaman Plant in Western Australia to be able to produce urea locally again here in Australia from middle of next year. So, we'll be able to produce quite a lot of urea for Australia from our own shores very soon. 

MCGUIRE: So, hopefully protecting us in case of further global fertiliser shortages. This deal is with Indonesia, are there any other major suppliers you're talking to while, you know, you're hopeful that we'll be able to make our own here? 
 
COLLINS: Certainly, we have been. As I said, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and myself, and the Trade Minister, we've been having discussions with a range of countries, but particularly around the Southeast Asian region. I have confirmed in the past that we have had some urea coming from Brunei, from Indonesia and various other parts across the globe. So, we're certainly having those discussions and continue to have them. 
 
MCGUIRE: So, this deal was for 80,000 tonnes of fertiliser. Can you remind me again of that other number that you'd also acquired? 
 
COLLINS: We've acquired now over 209,000 tonnes. 
 
MCGUIRE: Yeah. And that's going around farmers across the country? 
 
COLLINS: It will be indeed. It'll be going to where it's needed most, and we're certainly working with those larger providers across the country to make sure that that's the case. 
 
MCGUIRE: Well, we very much appreciate your time. Julie Collins is the Federal Agriculture Minister talking about a new deal to secure more fertiliser for our farmers, which is essential to our fuel supply in the future, food supply I should say. Thank you so much for your time, Minister. 
 
COLLINS: Thank you. I would just add that ABARES will have an updated forecast out next week on the current seasonal outlook conditions, and that'll give us a clearer picture of what we need going into the future too. 
 
MCGUIRE: Well, we may talk about it again when that happens. Thank you again.