Interview with Warwick Long, ABC Country Hour

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
ABC COUNTRY HOUR
FRIDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2024

SUBJECTS: National Agriculture Day; Visit to Lima, Peru; APEC; incoming Trump Administration; Biosecurity

WARWICK LONG, HOST: So, I spoke to Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins and asked about the current state of agriculture in Australia before talking Lima, trade and Trump.

JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Well, look, I think what we have in Australia is some great produce that the world wants. On this National Agriculture Day, I think we should be celebrating our farmers and producers around the country for the great produce that they produce. They also, of course, are some of the most innovative and sustainable farming across the globe. And it's been terrific to be here in Peru, in Lima, talking to other Ministers from around the globe at APEC and those in our region about Australian agriculture and just how good Australian products are.

LONG: You're in Lima right now for APEC. What elements of agriculture are on the table?

COLLINS: Well, obviously I've been talking to other countries about the importance of the WTO rules based system and about how it's important that we maintain trade, and particularly free trade. One in four jobs in Australia today is trade related. So Australians certainly benefit from the trade, and we also know that we produce more food than Australians consume and that's been shipped around the globe and celebrated.

LONG: That's a really interesting point to make at the moment. Australia has relied and often gone to the WTO for a number of actions, whether it be against Italian tinned tomatoes or whether it be fighting for its right to export tariff free to places like China in recent times at the WTO. Is there support on the world stage still for that system of trade, for the World Trade Organisation as the arbiter there?

COLLINS: Well, certainly at APEC today, I was able to reiterate Australia's support for the WTO ruled based system, to talk some of the benefits to the APEC economies and to the people in those economies, and to make sure that the benefits of this trade are shared by all in our region. And it was a really important discussion that's been happening at APEC about the importance of the WTO system.

LONG: A member of APEC is the United States. What do you make of Donald Trump's election and the proposed tariffs on imports into that country, including Australian agricultural produce?

COLLINS: Yeah, our Prime Minister has obviously had an initial discussion with the incoming President Trump. We have a great relationship with the US. We have a two way trading relationship with the US that's very strong. They're obviously one of our biggest allies, and we look forward to continuing the strong relationship with the United States. As I said, we have great produce. We certainly put a lot into the United States and they like our product, and I'm sure that that will continue.

LONG: Would tariffs on Australian product harm those exports, do you think?

COLLINS: Look, we've been working hard as a government to diversify our trade. We're now in 169 markets. We've obviously worked really closely when it comes to China and our agricultural strategy. We’ve been able to restore, around $20 billion of agricultural impediments that were there with China and we've restored now the vast majority of that. So, I think our careful, considered way we go about our discussions and our negotiations with other countries shows just how our government goes about making sure that our farmers are getting best value for their produce.

LONG. So, there's still a chance, by reading into your words, there's still a chance for negotiations too with the incoming United States administration.

COLLINS Well, we certainly want to have conversations and discussions. As I said, we have great products. You know, we're the most diversified we've ever been in the last 12 months. You know, we've now maintained, restored or opened up markets in 88 different markets in the past 12 months. So, it's something that our government has the runs on the board for. We've been really careful and considerate about the way we go about it, you know, from across my own department, but also obviously importantly the Department of Trade and Foreign affairs with our relationships and maintaining and restoring Australia's relationships around the globe.

LONG: Speaking of your department, the Department of Agriculture recent annual report came out showing the Department's back in the black, so to speak, after heavy losses were reported the previous year. Some of that money was made up by slashing consultancy fees. But there are also a lot of things like biosecurity jobs that remain open. Needing to recruit 170 biosecurity staff in the next year is an incredible target, especially with the risk of bird flu, varroa which we've had, fire ants as well. The biosecurity resources of the Department, are they well equipped enough to handle that pressure?

COLLINS: Well, as I said, we've certainly made sure that the Department of Agriculture and certainly the biosecurity division have the resources that they need. And that's why, you know, we've, we've been recruiting extra detector dogs. That's why we're putting on extra staff, that's why we've put in around $1 billion. That's why we now have cost recovery from major importers and even Australia Post to make sure that our biosecurity system and our funding is sustainable into the future. We want to maintain the strongest possible biosecurity system that we can for Australia to make sure that we remain disease free of some of these pests and diseases. We've been updating the capability, we've been looking at IT systems and upgrading some of those around our biosecurity systems to make sure that they remain world class and best practise.

LONG: The Department in its report said it missed seven key biosecurity targets that it set for itself, including timeliness - its responding to phone calls and website reports for biosecurity. Is that of concern?

COLLINS: Well, that's why we've been working on maintaining our systems, upgrading our systems, upgrading our capabilities and making sure that we can do the job that Australians need us to do. And that's why all those additional resources that I talked about are actually happening to maintain this biosecurity system that, as I said, is world renowned. Certainly I want to do everything I can do to make sure that Australian farmers and producers continue to get the best value they can. Incredible product that they put a lot of time, energy and resource into.

LONG: It is National Agriculture Day. You are the Federal Minister for Agriculture. So, what's your message for Australian farmers today and to Australian farmers today?

COLLINS: My message to Australian farmers today is that Australians appreciate and acknowledge the valuable role and contribution that Australian farmers and producers make to Australia's food system and supply system, but importantly to our nation's economy as well, and to our regional communities. And I say thank you on behalf of the country.