Chester to elevate food security issue in Canberra
Elevating the issue of food and fibre security to a matter of national importance will be the primary focus of new Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Darren Chester.
Speaking after the announcement of The Nationals’ revised Shadow Ministry, Mr Chester said he was looking forward to working with industry groups and regional communities to increase the focus on improving the resilience, profitability and sustainability of Australia’s primary industries.
“Our nation has an extraordinary heritage in primary production, and all levels of government need to work with this diverse sector to secure future opportunities,” Mr Chester said.
“When it comes to food security, I agree with industry leaders that it’s time to take the issue more seriously and link it to national security in an increasingly uncertain world.
“As a nation, we grow more than enough food for our own domestic consumption, but the agricultural sector depends heavily on many imported critical inputs like fuel, fertiliser and pesticides. Disruptions in the supply chain, like we are seeing today, have the potential to undermine our farmers’ capacity to feed Australians and the tens of millions of people around the world who rely on our high-quality agricultural exports.
“Household budgets are already under pressure, and Australian families can’t afford the price shocks associated with these supply chain failures.
“The Albanese Government needs to listen to the concerns of peak bodies and fast-track the ‘National Food Security Strategy’ and then back it with strategic investments which boost productivity and strengthen supply chains.
“The government was warned by industry four years ago on the consequences of not having a nationally co-ordinated food security plan, which includes fuel, and it must be part of Australia’s national security planning in the future.”
Mr Chester said he would embark on an Australia-wide tour to meet with industry leaders in their home states and gain a first-hand appreciation of the challenges and opportunities, with a focus on securing key inputs, growing access to markets and reducing costs of production.
“As the Member for Gippsland for 18 years, I have plenty of experience dealing with a diverse range of farmers, commercial fishermen and the forestry sector in my region, but I appreciate the problems and solutions are different in every part of Australia,” Mr Chester said.
“I’m a huge believer in localism. That means listening to the locals, trusting their insights and working with them on solutions that will work in their community.
“Some of the challenges, like expanding markets, high input costs, access to workforce, reducing the regulatory burden and increasing pressure from alternative land uses, may be the same in each area. But how we deal with those challenges with a national strategy requires careful consideration of local impacts.
“I will be putting the needs of Australians first and doing everything I can to support vibrant and profitable industries that are not tied up in government-driven green and red tape.
“Our farmers are the best in the world, and we should be supporting them to continue to feed and clothe our nation with policy settings and strategic investments that help them prosper.”
Mr Chester said he supported the principles in The Nationals ‘Prime Agricultural Land Protection Bill 2026’ which was introduced into Federal Parliament last week to establish a national framework to protect prime agricultural land from productivity loss, foreign control, and displacement of farming communities.
“We need to protect our prime agricultural land for food and fibre production as part of the National Food Security Strategy,” he said.
“The Victorian Government’s approach of stripping away the rights of farming families to impose industrial-scale energy projects needs to be rejected.
“The Nationals in federal government will not support mining or energy projects that diminish Australia’s food security on our prime agricultural land.”
Mr Chester said he would continue to promote the social licence of agriculture, fisheries and forestry to combat extreme environmental groups which seek to shut down primary industries, including the native hardwood forestry sector.
“When it comes to timber, you either use your own sustainably harvested wood or you use someone else’s. We have a trade deficit in timber products, and we have the capacity to sustainably manage our own forests and achieve positive social, economic and environmental outcomes rather than raid the supply of countries with poorer environmental standards,” Mr Chester said.
“I will always stand on the side of Australian farmers, fishers and forestry workers to secure and grow their industries and defend them against illogical and ill-informed attacks from environmental extremists.”
Mr Chester said he had appreciated the opportunity to work with Australian Defence Force veterans and their families and would retain a close interest in the portfolio as a local MP.
Pictured: Deputy Leader of The Nationals Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has been appointed Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
