The NSW Nationals in the state government will invest more than $1 billion in economic, social and environmental programs to build more resilient and stronger primary industries in the 2022-23 State Budget.
Nationals Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders said the NSW primary industries sector was valued at $20.9 billion last year, and the investments being made in this year’s Budget will help protect that record, while creating opportunities for future growth.
“The NSW primary industries sector has the aspiration of reaching a value of $30 billion by 2030. Today’s budget supports these aspirations,” Mr Saunders said.
“Stronger primary industries are critical to stronger regional communities—that’s why the NSW Government is committed to strengthening this sector now and into the future.
“The drought, natural disasters and a global pandemic have significantly challenged our primary producers, who have responded by achieving record levels of production value each year for the last two years,” Mr Saunders said.
“This budget will help provide the programs to equip our primary industries to continue to boost their productivity and profitability, while ensuring we sustainably manage our natural resources for generations to come.”
Highlights from the 2022-23 NSW budget include:
- $670.6 million to support the recovery and clean-up efforts from the NSW floods in 2022-23, including $241.4 million to deliver grants to primary producers in 2022-23 with $295.1 million over the next two years
- $182 million to fund the remaining six years of the 10-year Marine Estate Management Strategy
- $163.9 million in in the 2022-23 Budget, to prepare and prevent future biosecurity threats through the timely coordination and proportionate response to enable the rapid and efficiently containment thereby minimising the impact of endemic biosecurity threats including $26.9 million to bolster the states response and readiness capabilities to biosecurity incursions
- $89.6 million in the 2022-23 Budget, to provide response capacity by undertaking preparedness exercises, timely, strategic responses and recovery actions that minimises impacts, losses and deliver programs that supports rapid, long-term resilient recovery for those affected by adverse events
- $86.6 million to improve economic growth through access to a capable workforce by supporting new and emerging products and high value industries that minimise waste and provide circular economy opportunities to drive the use of food for improved health and consumer outcomes through productive, efficient and resilient food and fibre supply
- $58 million over two years to undertake repair work on state forestry roads and related infrastructure
- $52.3 million in the 2022-23 Budget, to prepare, prevent food safety risks, promote compliance and deliver legislative food safety including investigating breaches, prosecutions, manage food born illness requirements, and safeguard animal welfare that supports rapid, long-term resilient recovery for those affected by adverse events
- $34.3 million to support climate change adaptation with options for cost-effective emissions reductions without the loss of productivity, increased carbon storage and sequestration, and adoption of energy-efficient and renewable-energy technologies that support sustainable adaptation to climate change
