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Official Press Release--Govt Pledges $6M if re elected

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:39 am
by duane
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
Malcolm Turnbull MP
Minister for the
Environment and Water Resources
Peter McGauran MP
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
John Cobb MP
Assistant Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
T250/07
10 November 2007

$6 MILLION NATURAL SEQUENCE FARMING

A re-elected Coalition Government will implement a $6 million Natural Sequence Farming (NSF) national demonstration and study.
The funding commitment for this project was jointly announced today by the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, the Minister for Agriculture, Peter McGauran, and Assistant Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, John Cobb.
“NSF seeks to restore the restore the health of floodplains and their streams by slowing the rate of water flow, especially after rain,” Mr Turnbull said.
“NSF techniques were first developed by Peter Andrews on his property in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. They have proved to be highly productive as well as highly resilient to drought.
“The current drought has underlined the importance of supporting land management initiatives such as NSF.”
Mr McGauran said the new funding will enable a truly comprehensive national demonstration and study of NSF, allowing the full benefits of NSF land stewardship techniques. It builds on initial support of more than $100,000 for a demonstration project at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms in Bungendore, NSW.
“The Natural Sequence Association, a non-profit, organisation, has been established to support Peter Andrews’s vision of further research, enhancement and implementation of his life’s work,” Mr McGauran said.
Funding will be used to:
• Establish a national network of Natural Sequence Farming demonstration sites.
• Establish an Expert Scientific Review Panel to coordinate the scientific analysis and auditing of each of the demonstration sites.
• Support the development of training and education programs to assist land managers with the implementation of NSF principles.
Mr Cobb said a re-elected Coalition Government will also ask State and Commonwealth officials to identify and resolve any planning, regulatory or policy issues that may impact on the broader roll out of NSF.
“This funding will be delivered in close consultation with Catchment Management Authorities and state and territory Governments to ensure compliance with land and water management planning regulations,” Mr Cobb said.
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“The Coalition is committed to a strong, viable and sustainable farming sector in Australia. The National Plan for Water Security is the most significant reform of water management in Australia’s history.
“This funding will provide further investment and leadership needed to ensure that our rural communities have the support and the tools needed to ensure they have a strong future.”

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:23 pm
by duane
We now need everyone to contact their local Labour candidate and put pressure on them and the ALP to give NSF bipartisan support...

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:56 pm
by muzza
Hate to be once again cynical,(yes i will be sounding out our labour member asap)but why doesn't peter mac have the conviction to stand up in his electorate of gippsland and say this may be a better way forward than pork barrelling a new massive catchment dam that, to me, is antiquated in it's thinking but pleasing the masses

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:19 pm
by duane
Peter Mac is a key player in this....

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:12 am
by duane
I recently sent an email on 11 March to Malcolm Turnbull reminding him of the above pledge he and his Coalition partners made while in Government to NSF.

My email simply stated:
"Dear Malcolm

Before last years election you and your partners in the Coalition Government promised $6m to back Natural Sequence Farming if your Government was re-elected. To show that this was not a shallow promise I would like to see you ask the question of the new Rudd Labour Government...will they support Peter Andrews and his NSF work???"

This was Mr Turnbull's reply:

"Thanks Duane, good point well made.

all the best

malcolm"

In terms of pollie speak this was I believe an excellent executive summary of Malcolm's commitment to the proposal I put to him.

LET"S WATCH THIS SPACE