During a Senate inquiry last week key stakeholders, including the National Farmers' Federation, lined up to tell Senators the relocation of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is a bad idea which will have adverse impacts on our farmers and many others who rely on the Authority.
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Of course we already knew that because the Turnbull Government's own $270,000 taxpayer funded cost-benefit analysis had made that crystal clear. But the Prime Minister chose to ignore it, giving his blessing for up to $60 million dollars of taxpayers' money to be invested in the APVMA relocation.
How could this happen? Can’t Parliament stop this madness? No, because the Government found a little used legal instrument to give effect to the move, one which is not vulnerable to parliamentary veto.
Since Malcolm Turnbull backed Barnaby Joyce's boondoggle, the APVMA's professional staff have been fleeing the organisation in droves. This is adversely affecting the Authority's capacity to undertake its work in a timely way. The chemical and drug manufacturers are threatening to abandon the Australian market. Farmers are wondering how they'll secure their crop protection.
Consumers are less aware of the fuss, but they'll soon be asking whether their food is safe. Farmers and domestic pet owners alike will be wondering about the availability of animal medicines. Those who buy our food exports will also soon be asking questions.
Decentralisation does not create jobs, it shuffles them. It has been known to work when logical and well planned. More often it has failed. The APVMA relocation is not logical and has been poorly planned.
So far the only Commonwealth Government agency listed on the Government's Policy Order is the APVMA, a regulator fully funded by the chemical manufacturing companies which rely on it for access to our market.
It's hard to imagine which agency is next but let's hope the damage ends with the APVMA.
We have a national capital for a reason. It provides people, companies and leadership groups across our vast country with a one-stop opportunity to access our politicians and the public servants who advise and support them. It's a model the National Farmers' Federation, the Minerals Council, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and many not-for-profit organisations rely upon. If it ain't broke don't fix it!