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Budget Short Changes Victorian Agriculture

Victoria’s primary industries have been short changed in the Bracks Government’s 2005-06 State Budget, Shadow Minister for Agriculture Philip Davis said today.

By Philp Davis - 5th May 2005 - Back to News

The Bracks Government has continued its city-centric style of governance with this latest budget, allocating very little to the development of primary industries.

Mr Davis said the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) budget initiatives were focused almost exclusively on Melbourne instead of on country Victoria.

"The three major DPI initiatives were the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds redevelopment, the establishment of a new biosecurity centre at Latrobe University in Melbourne and the Melbourne Markets relocation," Mr Davis said.

"While these are worthy projects, they are all based in Melbourne and will have little direct impact on country communities.

"The Minister for Agriculture Bob Cameron, also known as the ‘Phantom Minister’ among Victorian farmers, has totally missed the mark.

"It is bizarre that the three major policy initiatives for agriculture would be for projects based in Melbourne."

Mr Davis said no new money was being allocated to the DPI.

"The aggregate departmental savings of $20.9 million over the four years are balanced by $22.5 million of the new initiatives for agriculture and most of it is for Melbourne based projects for the wholesale market and the Latrobe University," he said.

"It appears the DPI has received little new money, with departmental savings converted into initiatives."

Mr Davis also said despite 38 per cent of Victoria being Exceptional Circumstances declared by the Federal Government, with additional regions also being declared since the Budget, Bob Cameron didn’t recognise drought as a problem in Victoria.

"The plight of drought affected farmers wasn’t addressed at all in the Budget," he said.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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