Appendix A: Policy decisions taken since the 2013‑14 Budget (Continued)
Expense Measures (Continued)
Agriculture
Australian Animal Welfare Strategy — reduction of funding
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | ‑0.7 | ‑0.4 | ‑ | ‑ |
The Government will achieve savings of $1.1 million over two years by reducing funding for the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy programme.
The Government will retain $0.8 million over two years in the programme to support the Government's commitment to improving animal welfare in the export supply chain.
The savings from this measure will be redirected by the Government to repair the Budget and fund policy priorities.
Carbon Farming Futures — redirection
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | ‑4.7 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
The Government will achieve savings of $4.7 million by redirecting funding from the Carbon Farming Futures programme. These savings are in addition to the abolition of the Carbon Farming Futures programme from 2014‑15 as part of the repeal of the carbon tax.
The Government will continue to support all projects already approved under the programme.
The savings from this measure will be redirected by the Government to repair the Budget and fund policy priorities.
See also the related expense measure titled Extra assistance to support farmers— water‑related infrastructure.
Carbon Farming Initiative — Landcare Communication campaign — cessation
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | ‑1.0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
The Government will achieve savings of $1.0 million by ceasing funding for the Carbon Farming Initiative — Landcare Communication campaign. The programme was due to terminate on 30 June 2014.
The savings from this measure will be redirected by the Government to repair the Budget and fund policy priorities.
This measure implements the savings announced in the Government's pre‑election costings document.
Extra assistance to support farmers — reallocation of concessional loan funding
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | nfp | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
The Government will reallocate the funding available to state governments and the Northern Territory Government for the concessional loan element of the Farm Finance package announced in the 2013‑14 Budget. The total funding available for the loans will remain unchanged.
The Concessional Loan programme originally made available up to $30.0 million per annum for two years to each state and the Northern Territory for the provision of concessional loans to eligible farmers. The reallocation means that Queensland farmers will be able to access a pool of concessional loan funding of up to $50.0 million in 2013‑14 and $30.0 million in 2014‑15, while New South Wales and Victorian farmers will have access to a loan funding pool of up to $40.0 million in 2013‑14 and $30.0 million in 2014‑15. South Australian and Western Australian farmers will have access to a loan funding pool of up to $25.0 million in both years and Northern Territory and Tasmanian farmers will have access to a loan funding pool of up to $15.0 million in both years. The reallocation will also create a reserve fund of $40.0 million in 2014‑15 that will be available to respond to emerging issues.
The reallocation aligns funding more closely with the number of farm businesses in each jurisdiction.
The Government will also increase the maximum loan amount available to Queensland farm businesses from $650,000 to $1.0 million, and will provide additional funding for administration costs. The expenditure for these costs is not for publication due to ongoing negotiations with relevant state governments.
Further information can be found in the press release of 6 November 2013 issued by the Minister for Agriculture.
Extra assistance to support farmers — water‑related infrastructure
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of the Treasury | ‑ | 10.1 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | ‑5.9 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
| Total — Expense | ‑ | 4.2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
The Government will provide $10.1 million to assist farm businesses in Queensland and New South Wales with installing water‑related infrastructure. Funding will be provided to the Queensland Government to supplement the state's existing Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate and to the New South Wales Government if it establishes a similar programme.
For Queensland, the additional funding will build on the existing programme and increase the rebate available from 50 per cent to 75 per cent as well as increase the maximum amount payable by $20,000.
The cost of this measure will be partially met by redirecting $4.7 million from the Carbon Farming Futures programme, with the remainder to come from within the existing resources of Caring for our Country.
See also the related savings measure titled Carbon Farming Futures — redirection.
Further information can be found in the press release of 6 November 2013 issued by the Minister for Agriculture.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — reduced funding
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | ‑0.5 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
The Government will achieve savings of $0.5 million by a reduction in funding to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for ad‑hoc grants.
Funding for Australia's membership to the FAO is not affected by this measure.
The savings from this measure will be redirected by the Government to repair the Budget and fund policy priorities.
Independent Inspector General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports — cessation
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | ‑1.0 | ‑1.0 | ‑1.0 | ‑1.0 |
The Government will achieve savings of $3.9 million over four years by not proceeding with funding for the Independent Inspector General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports — establishment measure, announced in the 2013 Economic Statement.
The savings from this measure will be redirected by the Government to repair the Budget and fund policy priorities.
This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.
Indonesia‑Australia Red Meat and Cattle Partnership
| 2012‑13 | 2013‑14 | 2014‑15 | 2015‑16 | 2016‑17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | ‑ | 0.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 1.3 |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
| Total — Expense | ‑ | 0.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 1.3 |
The Government will provide $60.0 million over 10 years to create the Indonesia‑Australia Red Meat and Cattle Partnership (the Partnership). The Partnership will provide a mechanism for government and industry in Indonesia and Australia to increase agricultural cooperation, improve long‑term trade and boost Australian investment in Indonesia's red meat and cattle sector. The Partnership will focus on business and investment cooperation.
The Government will vary the Agricultural Cooperation and Investment in Indonesia — additional funding measure originally reported as 'not for publication' in the 2013 Economic Statement.
Funding for this measure includes $50.0 million for eligible official development assistance activities to be offset from within existing resources of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and $10.0 million which will be provided through the Department of Agriculture and offset from the Carbon Farming Futures — return of unallocated funds measure originally reported in the 2013 Economic Statement.
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