Queensland’s Paul Roderick set to be elected Dairy Australia chairman

Paul Roderick will become Dairy Australia’s new chairman in November, and we asked about his plans for the national body.

Queensland farmer Paul Roderick is on track to become Dairy Australia’s next chairman, with the industry body confirming he will take on the top job in November.

Farming at Harrisville, 30km south of Ipswich, Mr Roderick has been on the Dairy Australia board for the past four years.

He was named as the successor to incumbent chairman, Mount Gambier farmer James Mann, by DA today with two new board members also flagged by the industry authority.

“Dairy has always had challenges and for sure, this is going to be a tough season for the industry,” Mr Roderick said.

“There’s no doubt dairy is going through a tough time – prices, input costs, inflation and these challenges are seen in dairy sectors around the world.

“I’m obviously a dairy farmer first but the reason I’ve taken on the job is I want to put back into an industry.

“I want to demonstrate the value for money from the (dairy) levy, to make it clear and transparent and highlight the work DA has done and will do.”

Dairy Australia's incoming chairman Paul Roderick.

Mr Roderick went straight from school to work on his family’s Harrisville property in the mid 1990s and his parents David and Gwen are still involved with the farm.

The Roderick farm is a multi-generational operation with his sons also involved in the 400-cattle business which cover an effective farming area of more than 200 hectares.

“Deregulation was a seismic event for us in Queensland but it was coupled with the millennium drought, which arguably caused more damage to the dairy industry,” Mr Roderick said.

“That was a dry, dry time for us – as it was for many across the eastern seaboard of Australia. “Farmer numbers and volume dropped substantially over the decade from 2000.”

Mr Roderick has a lot of sympathy for one of Australia’s biggest dairy regions — southwest Victoria — now grappling with a localised drought.

“Ironically, the most consistent thing in dairy is inconsistent weather,” he said.

“Probably to early to see how much that hits the milk pool but you’d gather there’d be some decline in volume because of that green drought.”

Not only will Mr Mann retire as chairman, he will also leave the Dairy Australia board after nine years of service.

The Mount Gambier farmer wished his successor well in the chairman’s role and said Mr Roderick had extensive knowledge of the industry.