Agriculture representatives have backed the state Liberals’ proposal to amend the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 to include agricultural representation on the State Planning Commission.
Among those hoping for forward progress – no matter which party is elected next year – is Grain Producers SA chair Wade Dabinett.
He said the knowledge and representation of the commission does not cover food production and its associated issues.
“For the state government to reportedly say that the commission could appoint additional expert members for specific matters misses the point. With the food and wine industries worth $19.9 billion to the economy in 2016-17, we are a key economic driver of SA’s economy and we should be represented at the table where key decisions are made that impact farmers’ ability to be productive,” Mr Dabinett said.
“With some of the issues that our members experience, such as the restrictions on chemical use and constraints to being able to adequately control pests and weeds, we would argue that the commission’s representation is not broad enough.”
Livestock SA president Joe Keynes, Keyneton, was also supportive but believed effectiveness of planning policies was the key issue.
“We have a conflict between urban encroachment and prime production that will always remain, so we need to have effective policies, but a primary producer being on the commission would ensure there would be productive information flow at the highest level,” Mr Keynes said.
“It is important that industry is consulted about who is put on the commission, the person would have to be fairly pragmatic in saying yes we need to have development for the state to move forward, but not at the expense of our rural communities that generate a huge amount of export income for the state.”
Peter Cousins, an agricultural consultant at Crystal Brook, has been nominated by industry advocate Peter Grocke, Gomersal, to fill the agricultural seat on the commission.
Mr Cousins said he would take on the challenge if appointed because he believed the commission was heavily urban based.
“Rules regarding what can be built in urban areas compared with an rural need to be clearer,” he said.
“It seems the general consensus on this type of commission is that putting a vineyard next to a broadacre or grazier is not an issue because it is all farming.
“Incompatible industries are trying to operate side by side and there is more understanding about what developments can occur in an urban environment but not so much in the rural areas.”
