Labor Supports Beetroot Processing Study

The Rudd Labor Government will provide $125,000 to Lockyer Valley farmers to complete the business case for a new beetroot processing factory in the region.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Joel Fitzgibbon, joined the Member for Blair Shayne Neumann and the Labor Candidate for Wright Sharon Murakami, in the Lockyer Valley on Thursday 22 August to make the announcement with local beetroot growers.

“Labor’s National Food Plan is a blueprint for the growth and sustainability of Australian agriculture and agribusiness,” said Mr Fitzgibbon.

“I know Lockyer Valley farmers have done it tough since Heinz closed its Brisbane facility and moving beetroot processing offshore to New Zealand.

“I am pleased to announce today that a re-elected Rudd Labor Government will match Lockyer Valley farmers dollar for dollar up to $125,000, so that a beetroot processing factory in the area is shovel ready.

“Shayne Neumann took a delegation of growers into Brisbane to meet with me a few weeks ago. I have considered their proposal carefully and am happy support a plan which aims to increase food processing in Australia,” he said.

The Member for Blair Shayne Neumann praised the efforts of local farmers and the Lockyer Valley Council for their work so far to bring beetroot processing back to the Valley.

“The decision by Heinz left Lockyer Valley farmers without an option to process locally grown vegetables,” said Mr Neumann.

“A few weeks ago I took a delegation of local beetroot farmers into Brisbane to meet with the Minister. I am very pleased he has listened to their concerns, understood their vision and committed to match the $125,000 already raised by local farmers.

“A local cannery will provide an enormous boost for growers and create dozens of local jobs for the future.

“I also congratulate Lockyer Valley Council which has been working with local farmers in identifying a two hectare site west of Gatton to build a new cannery.”

Labor Candidate for Wright Sharon Murakami said it had been a struggle for local vegetable growers since the Heinz cannery officially closed last year.

“Up until the Brisbane cannery closed, the Lockyer and Fassifern Valleys produced around 90% of Australia’s beetroot for processing,” Ms Murakami said

“Many farmers have been forced to plant different crops to make a living. The fact remains, this area of Queensland has the perfect climatic and soil conditions to grow the best beetroot in Australia.

“Lockyer Valley farmers are tough. Despite the cannery closing and the natural disasters of recent years, they are here to stay.”

The Rudd Labor Government will provide up to $125,000 in matching funds to undertake feasibility and planning work to make the processing facility shovel ready.

Funding will be sourced from existing streams under the National Food Plan.
 

Boonah Health and Ageing Forum

Shayne Neumann will be guest speaker at a Health and Ageing Community Information Forum in Boonah on Tuesday 30 July, in his new role as Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing.

The Federal Member for Blair, which once covered Boonah, said he is delighted to be back in Boonah to discuss the Federal Government’s huge health reform agendas and is looking forward to hearing from the local community and health service providers.

“I am looking forward to coming to Boonah again to discuss the Federal Government’s aged care reforms with the local community,” Mr Neumann said.

“There's a lot to discuss. The Federal Labor Government has announced the first Home Care Packages as part of the Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package, which will provide $500 million in new annual aged care funding, $51 million in capital grants for aged care homes, and $156 million in zero real interest loans for building works.

“We have introduced the Aged Care Workforce Supplement, which will provide up to $1.1 billion to Aged Care Providers to improve the sector’s capacity to attract and retain a skilled and productive workforce.

Mr Neumann said these announcements demonstrate the Government’s commitment to building world-class health and ageing systems that allow people to have more input into their own health and care needs from the cradle to the grave.

“We are focused on building a patient-focused and integrated primary care system, with improved access and reduced inequity.

“The West Moreton-Oxley Medicare Local is front and centre driving these outcomes.”

Sharon Murakami the Labor Candidate for the Federal Seat of Wright is very pleased the community will have the opportunity to engage directly with the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing.

“Whether you have particular views on your individual health needs or work as a frontline health provider I know Shayne is looking forward to personally hearing your views, experiences and ideas, in building and maintaining together our fundamental right to access a quality, efficient, and proactive public health system for all Australians.”

 

 

 

Wright Boonah Health and Ageing Forum

 

Guest Speaker

The Hon Shayne Neumann MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General

Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing

Federal Member for Blair

 

Topics for discussion include Federal Government health initiatives

·         Living Longer Living Better Plan - Aged Care

·         DisabilityCare Australia roll out

·         Dental Reform Package - Grow up Smiling

·         Better Access - Mental Health Reform Package

·         and the role of Medicare Locals

 

Uniting Church Hall

10 Macquarie Street, Boonah

9.30 for 10am – 11am

Tuesday 30 July

 

For further details of the forum please contact Julie Jackson on 5463 4774.

The forum is open to all community members, but as seating is limited, RSVPs would be appreciated.

You can see photos of the forum here.



 

 

Community Landcare Announcement

The former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, visited Kalbar’s Kalfresh with Labor Candidate for Wright Sharon Murakami on Thursday 23 May to announce that the Australian Controlled Traffic Farming Association (ACTFA) had been successful in obtaining a $50,000 Federal Community Landcare grant.

The grant forms part of the Federal Government’s overall $10.7 million allocation of funds via the Sustainable Agriculture stream of ‘Caring for our Country.

ACTFA will use the funds to showcase benefits of using imagery from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) to enhance overall farm production methods such as farm layout and minimum or no-till and stubble retention.

Also on hand to view the demonstration was Rob Hinrichsen as the ‘Eye in the Sky’ UAV flew over and captured high resolution imagery of Kalfresh fields.

The 18 month R&D and extension project will involve horticulture, cane and grain farmers in the Fassifern, Burdekin and Darling Downs regions.

The ultimate aim of the ACTFA project is to allow Australian growers to make plans for acquiring the technology when it matures in three to five years time.

The former Minister Ludwig who has a great interest in aviation technology was looking forward to the findings of the R&D project.

Labor candidate for Wright, Sharon Murakami echoes the Minister’s enthusiasm. “If this technology provides farmers with spot diagnoses and faster treatment of nutrition disorders, weeds and pests it increases productivity and reduces waste.
 
“Over 35 Queensland organisations were successful recipients of the latest round of the Federal Government’s Community Landcare Grants. Projects include Rural Women’s Sustainability Leadership Program, Sustainable Grazing Practices and the 2013 Queensland State Landcare Conference.

Welcome to my blog

hi, this is sharon on my new blog - well it's my first ever blog ....