MOTIONS
Dr TRISH COOK (Bullwinkel) (17:15): Agriculture, as we all agree, is the backbone of regional Australia and is the heartbeat of our national economy. The Albanese Labor government is steadfastly committed to ensuring our agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries actively thrive. Recent forecasts show Australia's farmgate production value is on track to exceed $100 billion.
Despite seasonal headwinds and volatile global pressures, Australian agricultural production remains near record levels. That is a direct testament to the grit, adaptability and world-class innovation of Australian primary producers. Our farmers know how to innovate.
They adapt to changing consumer demand, embrace new technology and manage variable climate conditions better than anyone else in the world, but they cannot do that in isolation. That is why our government is backing them with real practical support: investing in farm resilience, expanding export pathways and developing and delivering the strongest biosecurity protections that this nation has ever seen.
Our food security is simply too important for cheap slogans or fear campaigns. Australia is and remains one of the most food-secure nations on earth. We produce far more food than we consume domestically, yet a responsible government does not take that strength for granted.
Even nations with robust food systems must prepare for supply chain shocks, extreme weather events and shifting geopolitics. And that is why we're developing Feeding Australia: A National Food Security Strategy. This is not a top-down thought exercise.
Feeding Australia is a whole-of-system plan shaped by more than 400 organisations, supported by the National Food Council and forged through co-design sessions right across the country. It unites growers, food processors, supply chain logistics specialists and health experts to guarantee that our food supply chain is resilient, productive and secure for decades to come.
Crucial to that security is our international standing. Trade and market access works both ways. Australia exports approximately 80 per cent of what our farmers produce.
Our ag sector relies on open, stable overseas markets. When we came to office, we inherited a decade of neglect. The previous government had spent years damaging relationships with key global trading partners, and it was our regional producers who paid the price.
Under the Albanese Labor government, we have done the hard, methodical, diplomatic work—work to rebuild the trust and get those relationships back on track. Between July 2022 and March 2026, this government recorded 286 significant market access achievements. We opened 50 brand new markets for Australian agricultural goods, delivered 141 improvements to slash red tape and reduce export costs, achieved 86 outcomes to safeguard access where trade was under threat and restored access across 19 critical pathways where it had previously been lost.
As a respected rules based trading nation, international frameworks require us to consider market access requests from our partners, just as we insist that they accept ours. However, considering an import request does not mean imports are imminent, nor does it mean our standards will ever be compromised. Assessments for commodities such as Philippine bananas or decrowned pineapples are detailed, rigorous technical reviews that take years to complete.
There is no predetermined outcome, and Australian growers are consulted every step of the way, ensuring that real-world, on-the-ground expertise informs the technical work. On this side of the House, biosecurity comes first—always. We will never cut corners or play politics with our ag integrity.
Under the Australian Labor government, Australia's biosecurity system has been reinforced by more than $2 billion in additional funding. Import pathways are decided by independent technical experts using science. Our focus is clear.
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