Mark Billing and Ian Morris take part in United Dairyfarmers of Victoria vice-presidential debate

Mark Billing and Ian Morris took part in the one and only debate for a United Dairyfarmers of Victoria leadership position.

(Clockwise from top left) Debate host, Victorian Farmers Federation chief executive Jane Lovell, and UDV vice-presidential candidates Mark Billing, Colac, and Ian Morris, Cobden.

A failed push to fuse the nation’s dairy advocacy and administration was a key focus of the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria vice-presidential debate today.

Colac’s Mark Billing and Cobden’s Ian Morris outlined their respective visions for the UDV in an online forum at this afternoon hosted by the Victorian Farmers Federation chief executive Jane Lovell.

A joint communique released by a trio of dairy groups last month confirmed the push as part of the Australian Dairy Plan, known as “NewCoB”, had been shelved by the industry’s leadership after 16 months.

Both UDV candidates said aspects of the work to establish an overarching national dairy body had been handled poorly.

Mr Morris said the appointment process of the Joint Transition Team to undertake the task was riddled with inconsistencies.

“There is a whole range of things that happened in the creation of the JTT, the decisions made in the two-day workshop. It is such a mess. The Dairy Plan committee can’t tell us who voted for what,” he said.

Mr Billing said also acknowledged the JTT’s structural problems.

“Could it have been done better? I think there’s no doubt,” he said. “An interview process for the JTT would have been the appropriate thing.

“We all know that NewCoB has been shelved but we need to look forward. I think we’re spending too much time looking behind.”

Both candidates said they would work to recruit more members to the UDV if they were successful in winning the vice presidency later this month.

“I think what the UDV needs to do a little bit better is build that value proposition of why you should be a member,” Mr Billing said.

“We need to celebrate the policy achievement and better communicate the work behind the scenes.”

Mr Morris said: “The fundamental issue is getting the branch meetings working with serious intent. That is why I’ve made the proposal that policy councillors not be able to sit on a policy council unless their branch-level work involves at least six meetings a year.”

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