MPI re-focus better than a carve-up

Keeping intact the Ministry of Primary Industries while sharpening the focus of four portfolio-based units within it is a pragmatic approach, Federated Farmers President Katie Milne says.

"We certainly didn’t want to see the upheaval and expense of a total carve-up of MPI.

"This course avoids wholesale disruption, preserves the Ministry’s status as a competent authority for trading partners and certification agencies, and allows staff to get on with their jobs during the re-focus," Katie said.

There is a cost ($6.8m, plus $2.3m additional annual operating costs) but certainly not as much as creating four new ministries, each with their own chief executive, their own HR department and finance department, etc.

"Nevertheless, this is money taken from the Primary Growth Partnership Fund, so farmers will want to see value from the exercise in terms of more responsive and innovative business units, particularly in biosecurity."

ENDS

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