BARNABY Joyce is putting his own interests ahead of the agricultural industry’s by moving the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale, the Shadow Agriculture Minister says.
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Joel Fitzgibbon has called on the New England MP to release the cost benefit analysis on the relocation of the APVMA.
"If the Minister has nothing to hide about the negative impact of the relocation, then he should release the report today," Mr Fitzgibbon said.
"If he does not, we must conclude that the report is damning and the relocation should be abandoned."
The Leader asked the Agriculture Minister what the findings of the cost benefit analysis were.
While Mr Joyce didn't reveal the results, his spokeswoman said the cost benefit analysis had been completed and submitted to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
"This will form part of the input for the government’s decision on the most workable process for relocation of the APVMA to Armidale," she said.
“The APVMA is working out the optimum approach for implementing the relocation.”
The relocation, an election promise during Mr Joyce’s federal campaign, would bring about 180 new jobs to Armidale.
It was recently revealed only three staff from the Canberra-based Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation have agreed relocate with the organisation to Wagga Wagga, with the remaining 15 preferring to stay in the nation's capital.
There are fears the same situation will occur should the AMPVA move to Armidale.
However, Mr Joyce is confident the relocation would go ahead with a "combination of retained staff agreeing to relocate, and recruitment of new staff".
He also pointed to good track record the University of New England and the other agriculture-related research centres in Armidale had in attracting high-calibre experts and professional staff from all over the world.
Mr Fitzgibbon said the relocation was strongly opposed by groups such as the National Farmers’ Federation and CropLife.
"Barnaby Joyce has never explained to his constituents that the forced relocation will be devastating for Australian farmers," he said.
"I suspect it is because he does not fully understand the work the APVMA actually does. If he had, it may have been a different result.
"The disruption caused by the relocation of the APVMA will impact on the Australia’s productivity and reputation as a clean, green and safe producer of food."
Animal Medicines Australia executive director Michael Wright said a poorly planned and executed relocation could result in the APVMA losing a substantial amount of its scientific capability.
“In these circumstances it is reasonable to assume a significant reduction in organisational capacity, and this would be to the detriment of the nation,” Mr Wight said.
“Therefore, it is essential that if a decision is taken to relocate the agency, it is done with a complete understanding of the risks of the exercise in order that plans can be developed and implemented to ensure those risks are appropriately managed.”
“I note the Deputy Prime Minister wisely commissioned a cost benefit analysis of the proposed relocation, and I would assume its findings would be of assistance in assessing the feasibility of the relocation and in the development of any relocation plans.”
If the Minister has nothing to hide about the negative impact of the relocation, then he should release the report today.
- Shadow Agriculture Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon