Mr BARRETT - 2015-02-24
I am excited about all the fantastic things happening in the Northern Territory to make the place better. Can the minister please update the House on the new AACo Livingstone Beef facility and what this major development means for the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the new AACo meat processing facility at Livingstone the other day.
This is an almost $100m project providing jobs for Territorians. It is pertinent that the member for Blain asked this question; I understand around 180 jobs have been provided, with a total of 300 jobs when the plant gets to full capacity.
Many of the people working at the meat processing facility will be living in the member for Blain’s electorate. This is what this government is doing, facilitating projects such as the AACo Livingstone abattoir to create jobs for Territorians.
It was terrific to be there with the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott; the Chief Minister, who is a strong advocate for the agricultural sector; the Minister for Business; and the members for Nelson and Solomon.
Conspicuously absent were the members opposite, who do not support the primary industry sector in the Northern Territory and would not dare show their faces because of the horrendous way the Labor Party treated our industry in 2011. That was a shame.
Today we have free trade agreements opening opportunities for Australian agricultural exports. This is a sure sign of the confidence the industry has regained since the dark days of Labor rule. The change of mood is significant, as witnessed in December 2014 when we had record prices for our export steers.
The opening of this facility represents the first opportunity in years for Top End producers to market fat cattle. My department is working hard to maximise opportunities and investigate ways to do this in a cost-effective manner.
We are talking about a facility which, at full production run, will process 1000 head of cattle per day. AACo has its own large pastoral holdings in the NT, as well as the capacity to supply a significant component of what is required to slaughter cattle at their processing plant. That sets this meat processing facility apart from those which have been tried in northern Australia before.
This is an incredible investment. It is a sign that AACo has confidence in the Northern Territory’s future and the government, for the support we have provided to them since this project started at its inception, through to the grand opening we attended on Saturday.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the new AACo meat processing facility at Livingstone the other day.
This is an almost $100m project providing jobs for Territorians. It is pertinent that the member for Blain asked this question; I understand around 180 jobs have been provided, with a total of 300 jobs when the plant gets to full capacity.
Many of the people working at the meat processing facility will be living in the member for Blain’s electorate. This is what this government is doing, facilitating projects such as the AACo Livingstone abattoir to create jobs for Territorians.
It was terrific to be there with the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott; the Chief Minister, who is a strong advocate for the agricultural sector; the Minister for Business; and the members for Nelson and Solomon.
Conspicuously absent were the members opposite, who do not support the primary industry sector in the Northern Territory and would not dare show their faces because of the horrendous way the Labor Party treated our industry in 2011. That was a shame.
Today we have free trade agreements opening opportunities for Australian agricultural exports. This is a sure sign of the confidence the industry has regained since the dark days of Labor rule. The change of mood is significant, as witnessed in December 2014 when we had record prices for our export steers.
The opening of this facility represents the first opportunity in years for Top End producers to market fat cattle. My department is working hard to maximise opportunities and investigate ways to do this in a cost-effective manner.
We are talking about a facility which, at full production run, will process 1000 head of cattle per day. AACo has its own large pastoral holdings in the NT, as well as the capacity to supply a significant component of what is required to slaughter cattle at their processing plant. That sets this meat processing facility apart from those which have been tried in northern Australia before.
This is an incredible investment. It is a sign that AACo has confidence in the Northern Territory’s future and the government, for the support we have provided to them since this project started at its inception, through to the grand opening we attended on Saturday.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016