Who will own Labor’s ag portfolio? if the party wins office?

A number of names are being touted for Agriculture Minister if Labor wins the election, including a former leader.

Labor has not confirmed who will head the agriculture portfolio should it win the federal election this weekend.

Tasmanian MP Julie Collins has been the party’s agriculture spokeswoman since January last year but Labor’s election campaign headquarters this week would not confirm whether she would become Agriculture Minister in a potential Albanese Government.

It comes amid growing speculation the portfolio could go to another Labor MP if Labor prevails on Saturday. Among the names being touted as potential Agriculture Minister include former Labor leader Bill Shorten.

Ms Collins lives in Hobart and her electorate of Franklin takes in the Huon Valley, best known for its apple, berry, cherry, wine and salmon industries.

Before her appointment Ms Collins had little involvement in the agricultural sector, and has said she was motivated to enter politics because “I deeply believe in quality education, decent health services and that fairness in the workplace should be available to everyone.”

Her parliamentary positions have been broad ranging, from regional development and local government to employment services and women.

Ms Collins has drawn criticism from farming groups throughout this year’s election campaign for a perceived lack of engagement on critical issues including addressing the sector’s labour crisis to live exports.

Labor has been attacked for not detailing an agriculture-specific policy until the dying days of this year’s six-week election campaign.

Grain Growers vice president Brett Hosking said the peak farming group was looking forward to working with whoever was elected to government this weekend.

“We’ve had good dialogue with Ms Collins and Mr Littleproud. Ms Collins has been open, she’s met with us and we have been in contact with her during the election process,” Mr Hosking said.

However United Dairyfarmers of Victoria acting president Mark Billing said the lack of commitment from Labor to agriculture had been disappointing.

“But I think we need to be at the forefront of their thinking, whatever party holds power,” he said.

The Coalition’s agriculture portfolio currently falls within the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

In the past, Labor has aligned agriculture with primary industries such as resources and other critical export industries.