Budget 2018: Satellite technology boost among wins for the bush

A $260m satellite package to enable the use of precision agricultural technology is one the big ticket items for the bush.

A $260 million satellite technology package to enable the use of precision agricultural technology is one of the big ticket items in the budget for the bush.

Decentralisation, infrastructure, biosecurity, agriculture and forestry jobs, and a $260 million satellite technology package to enable the use of precision agricultural technology are the big ticket items in the budget for the bush.

Having moved the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority from Canberra to Armidale, in former agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce’s electorate, the Turnbull government is giving the APVMA a $10.1m boost over three years to help it modernise and digitise business systems.

The government intends to continue with the National Party’s decentralisation push, relocating six other government entities away from the “public service strongholds” of Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.

This includes moving the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations from Canberra to Darwin, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Indigenous Affairs Group Regional Network from Melbourne to Shepparton in Victoria and from the Sydney CBD to Paramatta in western Sydney, and the Department of Infrastructure’s inland rail unit from Canberra to Toowoomba in Queensland, Dubbo in NSW and Wodonga in Victoria.

The budget will deliver billions of dollars for regional road projects, including $3.3bn for the Bruce Highway in Queensland; $971m for the Coffs Harbour bypass in northern NSW; $560m for the Bunbury ring road in WA; $400m to upgrade highways in Tasmania; and $280m for road works in the Northern Territory.

Farmers and other small business owners will benefit from a 12-month extension to June 2019 of the $20,000 instant asset write-off, enabling businesses with annual turnover of less than $10m to deduct purchases of eligible assets costing less than $20,000 from their taxable income.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud announced a $121.6m investment in the biosecurity system, including $20m for the Tasmanian government to assist with managing the fruit fly outbreak in northern Tasmania.

The agricultural export market will receive a boost of $51.3m to grow the market with the assistance of six additional agricultural export counsellors and the extension of five already based in Vietnam, Malaysia, the Middle East, China and Thailand.

Forestry jobs will get $20m to support the implementation of the National Forestry Industry Plan.

Resources Minister Matt Canavan said a $260m investment in satellite technology, set to increase accuracy from 5m to 10cm in remote areas, and to 3cm in areas with mobile coverage, would benefit sectors such as mining, transport, construction, aviation and agriculture.