The commitment mirrors the recent announcement from the Coalition, who also pledged $2.5 million to Farmsafe if elected.
“It’s incredibly heartening to see confidence in Farmsafe from both sides of politics,” Farmsafe Australia chair Felicity Richards said.
The latest AgHealth Australia data shows a concerning spike in 2024 — 72 deaths and 133 people seriously injured; more than double the previous year.
NFF president David Jochinke said the funding would allow Farmsafe Australia to continue its critical work to reverse these alarming numbers.
The funding will allow Farmsafe to scale its core campaigns and initiatives, expand reach into regional and remote areas, and develop new resources in high-risk areas such as child safety, machinery operation, mental health, and side-by-side vehicle use.
Who will release the carp virus?
A NSW state MP is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to commit to killing off the carp in the Murray-Darling Basin if they form government following the May 3 election.
“One of these two men will be PM after May 3. The first thing either of them should do is rescue the Murray-Darling Basin from carp infestations,” NSW State Member for Murray Helen Dalton said.
She said for many years government bureaucrats have planned for the release of the carp virus, cyprinid herpesvirus 3, which causes a fatal disease in carp known as koi herpesvirus disease.
But so far, Ms Dalton said, neither Labor nor the Coalition have given the go-ahead for this to happen, leaving the Murray-Darling Basin choked by carp infestations.
“If Prime Minister Albanese, or Prime Minister Dutton releases this safe, tested virus once they have been elected, we could have carp-free rivers in a matter of months.”
Call for buybacks compensation
Campaspe Shire Council wants the next Federal Government to ensure fair, direct and timely compensation to any Campaspe community impacted by the Commonwealth’s water buybacks.
Campaspe Mayor Daniel Mackrell said council was advocating strongly to protect communities against the projected negative socio-economic consequences of the government’s open market water purchasing program now under way.
“Based on research, our past experiences and what the government’s own document tells us, negative impacts of water buybacks on our agricultural and food manufacturing sectors as well as on businesses, families and whole communities are likely to occur,” Cr Mackrell said.
“Our advocacy aims to gain assurance from the incoming federal government that any Campaspe community negatively impacted by the government’s water purchasing program — such as suffering job losses, business downturn and/or reduced social participation levels — will receive fair, direct and timely adjustment assistance.”
A fair go in energy transition
The VFF is calling on both major parties to commit to a fair and balanced transition to renewable energy that puts farmers and regional communities at the centre of Australia’s energy future.
VFF president Brett Hosking said the majority of farmers supported renewable energy, but not at any cost.
“Farmers aren’t opposed to progress, but we won’t accept a system where multinational energy companies dictate terms to local landholders,” he said.
“We want proper consultation, fair compensation, a fair go for our communities, and most of all we want you to listen.”
The VFF is calling for a commitment that no Commonwealth funding be provided to energy and transmission projects, unless developers have properly engaged with affected landholders and are bound by a mandatory Land Access Code of Conduct.
“If developers haven’t done the work with farmers and their neighbours, they shouldn’t receive a cent of taxpayer money,” Mr Hosking said.
Let’s get the bush connected
The National Farmers’ Federation has called for commitments from all sides of politics to bridge the digital divide for rural and regional Australians.
NFF president David Jochinke said while significant investment had been made in recent years, it’s still a long way from fixing the rural and regional connectivity problem.
“Whether it’s calling for help in an emergency, coordinating logistics during harvest, or simply staying connected with loved ones — bush connectivity is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline,” Mr Jochinke said.
“This election, we’ve put all parties on notice: rural voters are tired of buffering, dropouts and excuses. They want solutions, they want to be connected.”
Support grain infrastructure
GrainGrowers says additional funding to improve road and rail infrastructure is a key election priority, calling on the next federal government to invest in supply chain productivity and efficiency to secure the future of Australia’s grain industry.
The GrainGrowers election document, Grains for Growth, Investing in Australia's Agricultural Future, details a range of focused priorities covering grain supply chains, regional Australia and the environment.
GrainGrowers chair Rhys Turton said supply chains were the lifeblood of the grains industry, and needed targeted investments to unlock productivity and efficiency.
“These investments include expediting increased funding for the Roads to Recovery program to $1 billion, reinstating the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, and targeted investments in grain rail freight corridors.”
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