FMD: Biosecurity a priority for Victorian Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney

With FMD concerns growing, Victorian Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney says biosecurity is a top priority.

Back after a two-year coronavirus hiatus, the launch of the Royal Melbourne Show last week was undoubtedly impressive.

Freshly-minted Victorian Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney took centre stage at the showcase of gastronomic delights and funfair attractions — a glimpse of the anticipated fun at Ascot Vale come late September.

That’s the plan at least.

The spectre of foot and mouth disease — detected on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali frequented by tens of thousands of Australian each month — was inescapable.

Just as coronavirus dogged event organisation for two long, gruelling years — now FMD comes along to spoil the fun.

The new minister and Victoria’s chief veterinary officer Graeme Cooke were peppered with questions about not only the show’s viability, but the threat posed by FMD to Victorian agriculture more broadly.

“We do understand the threat of FMD being in Indonesia and Bali in particular,” Ms Tierney said. “One of the things we’ve been progressing is a roadmap for collaboration because this threat is so serious that division will only heighten the risk of biosecurity incursions.”

Gayle Tierney is the new Agriculture Minister. She is visiting the farm of UDV vice president Mark Billing in Colac. Picture- Nicole Cleary

To that end, Ms Tierney announced over the weekend an Emergency Animal Disease Taskforce. The new entity is co-chaired by Agriculture Victoria chief executive Matt Lowe and Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp, with advice from Dr Cooke.

“Foot and mouth disease is not yet in Australia – and we all need to keep it that way by having robust measures protecting Australia’s border,” Dr Cooke said.

With FMD off-shore for now, the matter remains more of a federal issue than a state matter.

However, were it to breach Australia’s quarantine barriers, the state’s agricultural department would be put to the test.

Apart from FMD, Ms Tierney’s other portfolio - skills and training - overlaps with one of agriculture’s big challenges - labour shortages.

This week in Hamilton, she announced a five-day introductory shearing courses for 100 new workers, run by the Shearing Contractors Association of Australia.

“I’ve been cognisant of this for some time - that’s why we have free TAFE (training) for priority areas,” Ms Tierney said.

“That’s because we wanted training linked to the jobs that are needed. It’s an area where we will continue to progress.”

Ms Tierney is the fourth agriculture minister to sit at Daniel Andrews’ cabinet table since Victorian Labor returned to power in November 2014.

But she’s hardly new to Spring St.

The former Automotive, Metals and Engineering Union state secretary was first elected as one of Western Victoria’s five representatives in the upper house back in 2006.

Ms Tierney was elevated to cabinet in October 2016 after ministerial predecessor Steve Herbert resigned for using taxpayer money to chauffeur his dogs on several occasions.

Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano said stability was needed in the portfolio at the time of economic and biological curveballs.

“Victorian agriculture needs a champion at the cabinet table,” Ms Germano said.

“Whether its roads, skills training or regional housing policy, our food security must be central to the decisions made within the heart of government.

“Minister Tierney is the fourth Agriculture Minister under the current government. We hope that greater stability will be brought to the role to provide industry confidence and certainty moving forward. “

Unsurprisingly, FMD management is top of Ms Germano’s priority list. But there are other issues on the to-do list with Victoria heading to the polls in November.

“Our immediate priority is securing action and commitment on the biosecurity threats facing Victorian agriculture, including through immediate and ongoing funding for preparedness,” the VFF president said.

“Workforce shortages and disrupted supply chains remain a challenge for industry and must be a priority for government.”

Labour shortages were also a hot topic of conversation when Ms Tierney made her first ministerial trip in her new portfolio, to Mark Billing’s farm near Colac.

“Workforce shortages are nothing new but they’ve become an even bigger problem in the past few years,” United Dairyfarmers of Victoria vice president said.

“That’s the challenge: getting people into training, so they can fill those job vacancies.”