FOR many people on the land, 2019 was another extremely difficult year as a result of the drought.
I am pleased that our call for the government to provide direct and tangible assistance was finally taken seriously.
While I am supportive of the package of measures announced, it was unfortunate that it was more than a year too late and that SA was the last state in the nation to provide direct and tangible financial support.
While climate variability has always been a feature of farming in Australia, this has now been amplified by an incredibly powerful and inexorable trend driven by human-induced climate change.
This trend is going to continue to present major challenges for our primary producers.
If we don't seriously reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, we will be living in a different world.
Even though mitigation must be our main response, adaption in a whole range of ways will be necessary.
In relation to genetically-modified crops, I am fully aware of the field trials that are being conducted on wheat, barley and other crops that will provide for greater drought and frost resistant crops.
In addition to GM attributes combined with adaption to climate change, crops such as omega 3 canola could also be a possible way forward for some farmers.
But, the parliamentary process that the Liberal government chose to pursue had more in common with a bull in a china shop than the considered approach.
Another issue facing pastoralists is the Dog Fence and its need for repair. I am very pleased that work is progressing. The benefits will be felt across the livestock industry.
During last year's federal election campaign, I contacted my colleagues to seek a commitment that an elected Labor federal government would work with the state government and industry in providing three-way financial support to fix the fence.
Speaking about the outback, I remain strongly opposed to the government's intention to impose property tax on pastoralists, and businesses and residents in unincorporated areas. It is a completely unnecessary and inefficient tax.
To add insult to injury, people in the unincorporated areas including Roxby Downs and Coober Pedy, and Kangaroo Island are going to lose their registration concessions.
Those concessions have been in place for many years in recognition of the extra transport costs incurred by people in remote locations.
The government has made several rash policy decisions in 2019 that have negatively impacted our state.
- EDDIE HUGHES
The removal of the concession will add thousands of dollars a year in business expenses.
The government has made several rash policy decisions in 2019 that have negatively impacted our state.
The handling of the snapper fishing ban was shambolic.
Instead of a thought-through restructure with licence buybacks, additional quotas and zoning - in parallel with the announcement of the ban - people had the rug pulled from under them.
It's clear we must preserve snapper, but this needs to be done in conjunction with a proper process and industry restructure.
I strongly believe that primary industries remain the backbone of our state and this is something that people in metropolitan areas need to recognise.
The technical and scientific input into primary industries these days make it far more sophisticated than metropolitan people release.
I wish everyone the best for 2020 and I look forward to visiting your part of the state soon.
- Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Click here to sign up to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.