Agriculture

Mayo has a long and proud history as an agricultural community. I am unashamedly proud of our region’s reputation as South Australia's food bowl. I have been working for a fairer deal for our local agriculturalists.

This means:

• Lobbying for extra funding to help fight fruit fly incursions into SA
• Lobbying for State and Federal assistance for a netting support scheme for growers
• Lobbying for an irradiation and fumigation plant in South Australia
• Supporting our growers’ ‘Hailstorm Heroes’ marketing campaign for hail-damaged fruit
• Creating a level playing field between the banks and our farmers
• Protecting the reputation of our agricultural products and producers

Results:

• Successfully negotiated $7.3 million for a dollar for dollar netting scheme for apple, pears and cherry growers in Mayo to help them cope with the impacts of our changing climate
• Successfully lobbied for a $17 million boost to fruit fly management across Australia
• Introduced a Private Member’s Bill to create a level playing field for farmers dealing with the banks

Media Releases:

• Centre Alliance secures $7.3M for Mayo netting scheme (22 November 2019)
• $1M in drought funding a boon for KI (11 November 2019)
• Netting scheme needed for fruit growers (5 November 2019)
• Call for climate change strategy to support farmers (16 October 2019)
• Drought Fund amendment ensures future for all farmers (26 July 2019)
• Call for major parties to back Normanville abattoir rebuild (15 April 2019)
• Rebekha forges ahead with rural finance reform campaign (6 March 2019)
• Make hay while the sun shines and reform rural finance (20 February 2019)
• $17M fruit fly package welcome news for SA (19 November 2018)
• War against fruit fly needs heavy artillery (15 November 2018)
• Bill to shut gate on draconian farm lending practices (26 February 2018)
• Education pathways needed to address ageing farm sector (15 August 2017)
• Protecting reputation of Aussie beef (19 June 2017)

Speeches in Parliament:

• Farm Household Support Amendment (Relief Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2019 (3 December 2019)
  • In continuation (2nd half)
• Question to the Minister for Drought and Natural Disaster on the National Strategy on Climate Change and Agriculture (25 July 2019)
• Future Drought Fund Bill 2019 (22 July 2019)
• Future Drought Fund Bill 2018 (21 February 2019)
• Motion on the dairy industry (21 February 2019)
• Banking Amendment (Rural Finance Reform) Bill 2019 [Private Member's Bill] (18 February 2019)
• Farm Household Support Amendment (Temporary Measures) Bill 2018 (21 August 2018)
• Drought relief (‘Karma Kegs’) (15 August 2018)
• Banking Amendment (Rural Finance Reform) Bill 2018 [Private Member’s Bill] (26 February 2018)
• Regional Investment Corporation Bill 2017 (17 August 2017)
• Competition and Consumer Amendment (Safeguarding the Reputation of Australian Beef) Bill 2017 [Private Member’s Bill] (19 June 2017)
• Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2017 (1 March 2017)
• Backpacker Bills 2016 (No. 2) (29 November 2016)
• Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land Amendment (Water) Bill 2016 (7 November 2016)
• Dairy sector and growers (19 October 2016)
• Backpacker Tax Bills (17 October 2016)

Seasonal Workers Incentives trial

Fruit growers in Mayo struggle to source all the labour they need during the picking seasons, and they currently rely heavily on foreign backpackers. However, underemployment and long-term unemployment is a problem across South Australia and Australia, so I worked to negotiate a trial program with the Federal Government that would encourage local jobseekers to try out seasonal work in horticulture without it affecting their Centrelink payments. The intention was to help create a more stable workforce for horticultural businesses and to help to reduce youth unemployment, especially in the regions.

The result was the introduction of the two-year Seasonal Work Incentives Trial, under which jobseekers receiving Newstart or Youth Allowance (Other) for more than three months are eligible to earn $5,000 each year from seasonal work without losing their social security payments.

Results:

• Successfully negotiated the introduction of the Seasonal Work Incentives Trial
• The two-year trial started on 1 July 2017 and will allow up to 6000 Australian job seekers to do seasonal work and earn up to $5,000 without affecting income support payments

Speeches in Parliament:

• Seasonal Worker Incentives for Jobseekers Bill (29 March 2017)
• Backpacker Tax No. 2 Bills (29 November 2016)
• Backpacker Tax Bills (17 October 2016)

Media Releases:

• Seasonal workers incentive scheme passed in Lower House (29 March 2017)
• A win for NXT's Seasonal Workers Incentives Trial (28 November 2016)
• Backpacker tax move more of a sideways shuffle (27 September 2016)
• Relax dole rules to give Aussies a chance to work on farms (20 September 2016)

I have also asked Questions in Writing on the following topics:

• Implementation of the Seasonal Workers Incentive Scheme