Victorian budget 2024: Landcare concerned over cost cutting

Landcare says the Victorian Government’s year-by-year approach to funding is undercutting conservation work across the state.

Landcare Victoria chairwoman Jane Carney

A piecemeal approach to funding Landcare will mean the conservation group will lose talented staff and statewide farm coverage, its Victorian chairwoman says.

Northeast Victorian farmer Jane Carney, who runs a 400-hectare beef enterprise at Rosewhite, has led Landcare Victoria for the past three years.

She said during her tenure, Landcare has been frustrated by the year-by-year funding approach by the Victorian Government, undercutting its ability to recruit and retain staff.

“Agriculture Victoria had a really strong extension service. When the government took that away, it wasn’t replaced,” Ms Carney said.

“The private sector was supposed to pick up that role but the years have passed by and that hasn’t happened. Landcare has stepped into that extension space and doing a lot of that work with landholders. So with the funding levels we’re anticipating from government, that work won’t be able to continue at the same coverage Victoria currently sees.”

The state government recently announced an additional $3.6 million to extend Landcare facilitators until the end of March 2026.

A spokesman for Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulous said: “We are a long-term supporter of Landcare and environmental volunteering through the Victorian Landcare Program, which includes funding for Landcare facilitators, regional Landcare co-ordinators and the Victorian Landcare Grants to support communities to act for nature.”

Landcare Victoria was launched in November 1986 at St Arnaud by State Conservation Minister Joan Kirner and Victorian Farmers Federation president Heather Mitchell.

The concept went nationwide three years later under the leadership of Rick Farley at the National Farmers’ Federation and Phillip Toyne at the Australian Conservation Foundation.