Grains Corporation Left Floundering by Minister

Grains Corporation Left Floundering by Minister

Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey said he is extremely disappointed by Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig’s failure to ensure the appointment of the new board for the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

“The GRDC is the biggest research and development corporation in Australia delivering improvements in production, sustainability and profitability across the Australian grains industry to benefit stakeholders. Growers are the primary funders for the GRDC and would expect that the Government would be on the top of such a simple job as appointing a new board,” he said.

“After all we have known for years that the board’s tenure would expire on September 30, how hard could it be?

Mr Ramsey said he first became aware of this issue on Tuesday and approached the Opposition’s spokesman for Agriculture in the Senate Senator Richard Colbeck to confront Minister Ludwig with the issue.

“Coming on top of a string of disasters including the live cattle trade ban, where he ignored his department’s advice and terminated the industry with catastrophic effects, the slow response to the mouse-bait shortage, importation of NZ apples and the Asian honey bee invasion farmers Australia-wide are becoming concerned that the Minister is not up to the job.

“A tardy appointment of a board is not a hanging offence, but you just start to wonder what is going on in the minister’s office.

“There have been a number of stories in the Victorian agricultural press highlighting the fact that Minister Ludwig has barely ventured into rural Australia and it would seem that even seemingly simple task like appointing a new board is too hard for a city-based Brisbane Senator.”

Media Contact: Leonie Lloyd-Smith (08) 8633 1744

November 2, 1011