Here we are with another week passed and still no sign of the Abbott Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness Green Paper.
The Green Paper was promised mid-year.
“The Green Paper is expected to be released for consultation around the middle of 2014.”
- Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet website
We have now reached the end of the second week of October, and it’s time the Minister for Agriculture was honest with the sector about when these Papers will actually be released.
The Government promised an eight week consultation period between the Green and White papers as detailed in the issues paper, it now seems impossible for the White paper to be delivered this year as promised.
Table 1: Key dates for White Paper process
Announcement of terms of reference 9 December 2013
Release of issues paper 6 February 2014
Due date for submissions on issues paper 17 April 2014
Release of Green Paper Mid 2014
Due date for submissions on Green Paper 8 weeks after release
Release of White Paper End of 2014
As a result the agriculture sector now faces more than a year of policy inertia.
To fully capitalise on the Asia led “Dining Boom” we need a strategic plan and the 14 months already lost are 14 months we will never get back.
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