Dairy Assist Seminars
Page: 4772
Mr GEORGE (Lismore) [5.21 p.m.]: I wish today to express my concern about dairy seminars that are being held around the State of New South Wales at the instigation of the Minister for Agriculture, and Minister for Land and Water Conservation, and with his support. The Minister's office published a press release on 30 March 2000, which stated:
A series of seminars will soon be held to help dairy farmers and advisers access information on the industry structural adjustment package.
With the onset of deregulation across Australia it is important that dairy farmers in NSW are given as much information as possible on the structural adjustment package which is available … I am therefore pleased to say that four free seminars will be held next week to provide dairy farmers and industry advisers—such as financial counsellors—with information on the package.
Dairy Assist will help eligible producers, counsellors and other advisers weave their way through the application form process and other necessities involved in the structural adjustment package.
In its wisdom, the local paper the Northern Star—which supports these types of activities—took up the story. On Monday 3 April the Northern Star carried an article, which stated:
Northern Rivers dairy farmers are invited to a seminar today with information on the dairy industry structural adjustment package.
The seminar is being run through Dairy Assist, the government-industry committee set up last year. The seminar will be at the Lismore Workers' Club, from 10am to 1pm.
The newspaper also carried an advertisement about the seminar. Several dairy farmers turned up for the seminar and an official approached one—who happened to be a lady—and said, "You look like a farmer". She replied that she was a farmer. The official then said, "You are not a manager", to which the farmer replied that she was a manager in partnership with her husband. The official then stated, "Well, you are not entitled to be here" and excluded that farmer from the seminar. I am sure that that was not the Minister's intention, but I received three telephone calls at my office highlighting the issue and it would be remiss of me not to raise this problem in the House. Dairy farmers involved in the deregulation process need all kinds of support from both the Government and the Opposition so that they can come to terms and cope with the problems that are increased by deregulation. I am pleased to see that the Minister is in the House to hear my comments.
Mr AMERY (Mount Druitt—Minister for Agriculture, and Minister for Land and Water Conservation) [5.24 p.m.]: I thank the honourable member for Lismore for raising this matter. He referred to a press release that was published some time ago about Dairy Assist. It explained that meetings would be held for people who assist the dairy industry during the difficult process of deregulation and in the shadow of events in Victoria that might also affect New South Wales. I am not fully briefed about the case that the honourable member presented to the House, but I am surprised that dairy farmers would wish to attend a meeting that was designed not specifically for them but for those who support the industry, such as accountants, service providers, counsellors and so on. The seminars were designed to assist them in discussing the difficult deregulation process with farmers.
I am concerned about the information that the honourable member for Lismore has put before the House. It appears that, when some dairy farmers responded appropriately to a media report about a seminar, they were confronted by a person—I do not yet know who it was—who told them that they should not be there and were not welcome. I assure the honourable member that my office will investigate the matter immediately to discover who conducted the meeting, who was involved, what advice was given to farmers and why they responded to media reports about the seminar. We will resolve the matter as issues such as this distract from the seminar's intention to assist the dairy industry wherever possible during the most difficult time for agricultural industries in the history of this State. I thank the honourable member for Lismore for raising the matter in the House and I assure him that it will be attended to.