Industry bodies welcome the change which comes amid several updates to the cabinet and to the ministry
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Tasmanian MP Julie Collins has replaced Murray Watt as agriculture minister, alongside her role as minister for small business.
Watt will now cover the employment and workplace relations portfolio amid a reshuffle prompted by the retirement of indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney and skills minister Brendan O’Connor.
The assistant minister for agriculture has also been replaced by Queensland senator Anthony Chisholm.
“While my government’s leadership team remains unchanged, the decision three colleagues have taken to step down creates an opportunity for others to step up,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said of the changes.
Collins has said she welcomes the “great honour” to serve as the new minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry and thanked the Prime Minister for the new challenge.
“Agriculture plays a vital role in our country, and our national economy continues to rely on a strong and diverse sector,” she said in a statement.
Peak industry body for Australia’s vegetable, potato and onion industry Ausveg congratulated Watt on his new appointment and thanked him for his efforts and engagement with the Australian vegetable industry during his time in the Agriculture portfolio.
“We look forward to working constructively with Collins and Chisholm and building on our record of strong engagement with the government to help secure the long term-sustainability of Australia’s crucial vegetable sector,” said Ausveg chief executive Michael Coote.
Australia’s peak body for citrus farming, Citrus Australia, has also welcomed Collins’ appointment with chief executive Nathan Hancock saying he was looking forward to working with Collins again, following her previous role as shadow minister for agriculture in 2021.
“Minister Collins spent close to 18 months across the agricultural portfolio, and so we are looking forward to hosting her as soon as we can at our citrus headquarters in Mildura, and to introducing her again to our incredible citrus industry,” Hancock said.
According to Ausveg, these appointments come at a pivotal time for Australia’s vegetable industry, which is facing significant ongoing challenges, as well as opportunities to capitalise on.
“High costs of production, challenges securing sustainable farmgate prices, and labour shortages are among the key issues threatening the viability of many vegetable farming businesses and contributing to more than a third of growers considering walking away,” said Coote.
“Amid these challenges there are opportunities to boost the sustainability of vegetable farming businesses, improve productivity, lift declining vegetable consumption and further develop domestic and international markets.”
Coote said Ausveg is eager to work with Collins and Chisholm to progress positive initiatives to improve the short, medium and long-term outlook of the sector
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