Cabinet reshuffle: Farming industry cautiously welcomes new Agriculture Minister Julie Collins

Farming leaders have cautiously welcomed Julie Collins as Australia’s new Federal Agriculture Minister, with the Tasmanian MP declaring it a “great honour” to take over the “vital” portfolio.

Ms Collins held the portfolio in opposition in the lead up to the 2022 election and replaces Senator Murray Watt, who is the new employment and workplace relations minister.

She also retains her small business portfolio under the Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday.

The Member for Franklin said in a statement on Monday that her electorate was home to “so many incredible farmers” and she was committed to “engaging and listening” to rural communities.

“I welcome the great honour to serve as the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Albanese Labor Government and thank the Prime Minister for this new challenge,” Ms Collins said.

“Agriculture plays a vital role in our country, and our national economy continues to rely on a strong and diverse sector.”

Queensland Senator Anthony Chisholm was appointed assistant agriculture minister.

Ms Collins said she was looking forward to “continuing the good work” of her predecessor, who is a divisive figure in WA after overseeing the passing of legislation to ban live sheep exports from May 2028.

Industry leaders had less praise for the outgoing agriculture minister, with National Farmers’ Federation president David Jochinke saying Senator Watt would be remembered for various “heated conflicts with the sector”.

“From live sheep, to water buybacks, to the biosecurity tax proposal and visa disputes … there’s no doubt we’ve seen some policies that have deeply impacted and enraged our sector,” Mr Jochinke said.

“We hope Minister Collins will be a champion for sensible policies to support and grow our farm sector.”

Mr Jochinke acknowledged Senator Watt’s “willingness to work with the sector” on other issues including sustainability, biosecurity and foreign trade.

But he said Ms Collins must strengthen agriculture’s relationship with the Government.

“His (Senator Watt’s) commitment to normalising our trade with China and ensuring Australian agriculture didn’t end up with a bad deal in the EU free trade agreement will be remembered well,” Mr Jochinke said.

The best we can say is we’re hopeful that the new ag minister will bring fresh eyes to the portfolio (and) hopefully have some recognition of the damage that her Government has caused.

“We look forward to meeting with her (Ms Collins) soon... We want to see positive plans and investments to grow the economy through food and fibre production.”

Grain Producers Australia chair Barry Large also welcomed Ms Collins and said the combination of agriculture and small business portfolios “makes sense”.

“We welcome continued engagement and close collaboration to ensure … the voice of Australian grain producers is clearly understood and included in decision making and policy development processes,” he said.

Australian Livestock Exporters chief executive Mark Harvey Sutton was less optimistic.

“Normally, we’d be putting out statements or making remarks that we look forward to working with the agriculture minister and the opportunities that might present,” he told Countryman.

“Unfortunately, given the track record of this Government across the board, I think the best we can say is we’re hopeful that the new ag minister will bring fresh eyes to the portfolio (and) hopefully have some recognition of the damage that her Government has caused the sector.”

Nationals leader David Littleproud said the appointment of a new agriculture minister would not change the Albanese Government’s “litany of disastrous decisions”.

He said Ms Collins “won’t achieve anything” and accused her of having “no interest in agriculture”.

“Murray Watt has left a legacy of treating Australian farmers with contempt and ignoring their needs during his time as Agriculture Minister,” Mr Littleproud said.

“There won’t be too many farmers sad to see Murray Watt’s departure and if this Labor Government’s track record over the past two years is anything to go by, his successor won’t treat farmers much differently.”