Supporting our primary industries to keep our economy strong
Combatting the drought
One of the first priorities of the Morrison Government was to quickly address the drought. On 26 October 2018, Prime Minister Morrison convened the National Drought Summit - bringing together stakeholders from farming, agribusiness, government, and community organisations. The Summit aimed to foster a shared understanding of the drought's impact and to formulate actionable strategies for resilience and support for affected communities.
Following the Summit, Prime Minister Morrison announced a $5 billion Future Drought Fund, designed to provide long-term financial assistance for farmers and communities facing drought conditions. This fund aimed to enhance preparedness and resilience against future droughts.
An additional $57 million package was introduced to support farmers, small businesses, and families impacted by drought, highlighting the government's commitment to immediate relief measures.
The Morrison Government also launched the Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate scheme, allocating $50 million to assist farmers in installing essential water infrastructure. This initiative aimed to bolster water supplies during drought periods and increase the resilience of the agricultural sector.
The establishment of the National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency in December 2019 facilitated a coordinated response across jurisdictions, ensuring that resources were effectively managed and distributed to those in need.
The Morrison Government worked closely with State and Territory governments to implement various programs under the National Drought Agreement, which emphasised sustainability, risk management practices, and community resilience.
Prime Minister Morrison's leadership, particularly during the National Drought Summit, resulted in flow-on effects through substantial financial commitments and strategic initiatives aimed at supporting Australian farmers and enhancing their resilience against future droughts.
Boosting productivity and innovation in agriculture
The Morrison Government introduced a range of initiatives to bolster Australia's agricultural sector — aiming to enhance productivity, sustainability, and resilience. These efforts were primarily encapsulated in the Ag2030 plan, which ought to elevate the sector's value to $100 billion by 2030.
The Ag2030 plan outlined strategic investments across seven key themes:
Trade and Exports: Allocated $146.8 million to modernize agricultural export services and streamline trade processes.
Biosecurity: Invested $91.7 million to strengthen biosecurity measures, particularly in northern Australia, to protect against pests and diseases.
Innovation and Research: Committed to enhancing agricultural innovation systems to drive competitiveness and sustainability.
Human Capital: Focused on building a skilled agricultural workforce through education and training initiatives.
Infrastructure: Improved transport and logistics infrastructure to support efficient movement of goods.
Water and Resource Management: Implemented measures to ensure sustainable water use and resource management.
Drought Resilience: Developed programs to assist farmers in preparing for and managing drought conditions.
The importance of digital technology was also recognised, leading to the introduction of the Digital Foundations for Agriculture Strategy. It aimed to enhance digital connectivity in rural areas and promote the adoption of ag-tech solutions to improve farm productivity and sustainability.
Expanding market access for agricultural exports
The Morrison Government negotiated and advanced several significant trade agreements that enhanced market access for Australian agricultural producers. These agreements aimed to diversify export markets, reduce tariffs, and strengthen Australia's position in global agricultural trade.
The Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, signed in December 2021, marked the UK's first major trade deal post-Brexit. Key agricultural outcomes included immediate tariff eliminations on exports such as wine, short and medium grain rice, honey, nuts, and olive oil. Transitional duty-free quotas on beef, lamb, sugar, dairy, grains and horticulture were also successfully negotiated. Read more here.
The Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, signed in April 2022, was Australia's first bilateral trade agreement with India. It focused on key agricultural exports including immediate tariff eliminations on lamb, wool, barley, oats and fresh rock lobsters. Tariff reductions were also achieved for wine, almonds and lentils. Read more here.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on 1 January 2022. It provided progressive elimination of tariffs on various agricultural products across member nations and enhanced Australia’s access to key Asian markets — facilitating growth in exports of meat, dairy, grains and horticultural products. RCEP reinforced Australia's trade relationships in the region, promoting stability and growth in agricultural exports.
Fisheries and forestry
The Morrison Government released Australia's first National Fisheries Plan, outlining a strategic framework to sustainably grow the fishing, aquaculture, and seafood sectors by 2030. The plan focused on promoting responsible fishing practices to ensure long-term viability, encouraging the adoption of new technologies, enhancing training, increasing retention and building public support and understanding of the fishing industry.
A $20 million investment was made to modernise data capture and integration across Commonwealth-managed fisheries. This initiative supports the implementation of electronic monitoring and reporting systems, enhancing compliance and sustainability.
A further $20 million was allocated to upgrade facilities for recreational fishers, boaters, and campers. This funding aimed to improve access and amenities, supporting regional economies and promoting outdoor activities.
The National Forest Industries Plan was launched on 13 September 2018, marking the first major strategic blueprint for Australia's forest industries in over two decades. It aimed to bolster the renewable timber and wood-fibre sectors, enhance regional employment, and contribute to national emissions reduction. The plan included a goal to plant one billion new plantation trees by 2030, establishing Regional Forestry Hubs to identify and support key forestry regions, and enhancing research and innovation through initiatives like the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation. The plan was supported by a $20 million investment over four years. In 2022, $86 million was committed over five years to support the establishment of new plantations. This investment, the largest in over 30 years, aimed to plant up to 150 million trees, securing future timber supply and supporting regional jobs. To combat illegal logging, $4.4 million was allocated to enhance timber tracking and tracing capabilities. This funding supported the development of technologies and laboratory capacity to verify timber origins, protecting domestic industries from unfair competition.
Backing our mining sector
The Morrison Government was a strong supporter of Australia’s resources sector implementing several key initiatives focusing on critical minerals, manufacturing integration, and energy security.
In February 2019, the Government released the first comprehensive policy for the resources sector in over two decades aimed at consolidating Australia's position in the global resources market. The statement outlined a long-term vision to position Australia as a leading, innovative, and sustainable resources nation. Key actions included:
Promoting Australia as a globally attractive investment destination,
Opening new industries and resource regions,
Focusing innovation and R&D on long-term sectoral growth, and
Developing and retaining a world-class workforce.
Recognising the importance of critical minerals for emerging technologies, the Morrison Government launched initiatives to develop this sector:
$2 Billion Critical Minerals Facility: Established to provide loans for critical minerals projects, aiming to secure supply chains for essential resources like rare earths.
International Collaboration: Entered into agreements, such as the US-Australia Critical Minerals Action Plan, to support investment and diversify global supply chains
The Morrison Government provided significant funding to develop domestic rare earths processing capabilities. Iluka Resources received a $1.25 billion loan to establish Australia's first fully integrated rare earths refinery at Eneabba — enhancing sovereign capabilities in critical minerals processing.
To ensure energy security and economic recovery post-COVID-19, the Government introduced measures to boost the gas sector:
$58.6 Million Investment: Directed towards critical gas infrastructure projects to alleviate supply shortfalls and support industrial growth.
National Gas Infrastructure Plan: Outlined strategies to unlock new gas supplies and improve market efficiency.
Related media:
1. Speech, Drought Summit Press Conference, 26 October 2018: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-41898
2. Press release, Securing the future of our forestry industry, 16 February 2019: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42127
3. Address, Daily Telegraph Bush Summit, 18 July 2019: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42330
4. Speech, National Farmers’ Federation 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner, 14 October 2019: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42468
5. Press release, Backing Australia's critical minerals sector, 28 September 2021: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43596
6. Press release, Transforming Australia's critical minerals sector, 4 April 2022: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43935
