IF it is elected in March, a Labor Government will conduct an independent review of the scope and resourcing for Local Land Services (LLS).
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NSW Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Mick Veitch admitted there was growing frustration with the performance of LLS under the Liberals and Nationals.
“As I travel around the state and talk to landholders, there’s a real concern about the role of LLS and its ability to meet the expectations of government and farmers,” he said.
“Staff are doing their best with limited resources.”
Local Land Services was formed in 2013 as an amalgamation of several organisations including the old Rural Lands Protection Boards, Catchment Management Authorities and some advisory services within the Department of Primary Industries.
Mr Veitch said concerns were being raised that frontline staff were increasingly unable to meet the wide range of demands placed on their time while a push to centralise services had resulted in a cost blowout in the corporate services section.
Cost cuts and a top-heavy bureaucracy had compromised the capacity of staff to respond in a timely manner to the needs of farmers and landholders.
There is a real fear that the “local” is being taken out of “Local Land Services”.
“Farmers tell me they are seeing less and less frontline staff,” Mr Veitch said.
“Those left are overworked and doing the best they can with limited resources.
“At the same time they are seeing big salaries for head office staff and a blowout in corporate services.”
He said the establishment of the LLS in 2013 was more about cost cutting than delivering quality services and advice to landholders with cuts to the LLS budget occurring since 2013.
Labor will appoint an independent review team to travel around the state to assess options regarding the future of the service and report to the Minister.
The review will consider, among other matters, whether the organisation is fit for purpose as well its capacity to meet the needs of landholders including the provision of extension services.
If elected, Labor promises to commission the review within its first 100 days of coming to power.