Minister for Agriculture Murray Watt to release APVMA report findings

My Joyce has started a petition to take the voices of the electorate and the agricultural sector to Canberra, to save the APVMA.

"Our city of Armidale has been directly targeted by (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry), Senator Murray Watt with the looming announcement of the future of the APVMA location, which could rip out 144 direct jobs from the Armidale community," said Mr Joyce.

"It is heartbreaking and offensive for a Labor government to come along and blame an entire regional community for a workplace issue.

"Labor does not believe in the same future that we do for our regional city, to build the potential for our university, to build local jobs and most of all in government departments and agencies to be based outside of Canberra."

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has been under the spotlight since November 2022, when it was revealed a senior manager resigned after urinating on a co-worker.

In July 2023, Agriculture Minister Watt released the 'Final Strategic Review Report' of the APVMA prepared by Clayton Utz which found that the decision to move the regulator to Armidale resulted in a loss of corporate knowledge, culture, experience and knowledge of public sector values.

He also announced the appointment of Ken Matthews AO to undertake a rapid evaluation of the findings of the Clayton Utz report and to provide advice on a range of issues including an assessment of the legal structure of the APVMA.

Mr Watt recently confirmed that he had received the Ken Matthews rapid evaluation report and said that the findings will be released following 'appropriate consideration by Government.'

"The Government will now take the time to properly assess Mr Matthews' report and develop an appropriate response," he said.

In August 2023, Armidale Mayor Sam Coupland came out strongly in favour of the APVMA staying put in Armidale, stating that a re-location would convey a message of re-centralisation and abandoning the regions.'

Mr Joyce cites the recent referendum as proof that the 'Canberra Bubble' is out of touch with everyday Australia.

He says that now more than ever it is imperative to decentralise government departments to regional areas, where practical measures, initiatives and policy can be developed within industries and communities that the policies are designed to serve.

Mr Joyce said Minister Watt and the Prime Minister have lost confidence of the agricultural sector.

"Every single Australian is feeling the impact of the pain and hurt being put onto farmers because the end result of Labor's bad policies are families being forced to pay more for food at the checkout, while the producers of the food are receiving less at the paddock gate," he said.

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