Four policy shifts for farmers, travellers and exporters were announced in October. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins made the announcements, some of them jointly with ministerial colleagues, covering rural finance, digital border processing, citrus export terms and the sheep trade.
Rural financial support
More than $100 million in government funding will go towards the Rural Financial Counselling Service, which offers free, independent advice to farmers and producers facing financial hardship. The 10 existing providers, which cover 12 regions, will keep running the service for another five years from 1 July 2027.
Digital travel declaration
Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport has become the first in the country to offer the web-based version of the Australia Travel Declaration. It went live for arriving passengers on 26 October, the day of the airport’s first international flight, and travellers on any airline can now fill it in online before they land.
Lemon exports to Korea
Korea has revised its import requirements for Australian lemons, so Korean quarantine officers no longer need to inspect the fruit in Australia before it ships. That means lower costs and less red tape for citrus growers, and Queensland growers can now sell into the Korean market as well.
Sheep-sector grants
The government has awarded a further $11.8 million in grants to help sheep farmers and livestock transport operators in Western Australia prepare for the end of live sheep exports by sea on 1 May 2028.
What the four policy shifts for farmers mean
Together, the four policy shifts for farmers bring more support to adapt, fewer barriers to trade and stronger biosecurity at the border.
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Source: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
