The Hon. Nicola Centofanti, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries (SA), Media Release, 6 August 2024

The SA Cattle Industry Fund has announced its intention to withdraw funding for the Malinauskas Labor Government’s National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) cattle compliance program, after revelations not all states are contributing equally.

Minister for Primary Industries, Clare Scriven, has reportedly pleaded for the decision to be reversed.

Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Dr Nicola Centofanti, said industry is well within its right to want a level playing field to ensure South Australia isn’t being ripped off.

Dr Centofanti said Clare Scriven must present evidence to local farmers so that they can rest assured that they aren’t worse off.

“I have cattle and dairy producers calling me at their wit’s end because of the ever-increasing costs of doing business. There are livelihoods on the line,” she said.

“We need to ensure that SA producers are on a level playing field, or at least no worse off when it comes to doing business compared to the rest of the nation. Clare Scriven needs to put the proof on the table before we see money sucked out of the industry fund for the NLIS, when it appears industry in other states are not burdened with this cost.

“We’ve learned that SA has been contributing to a national program since 2005 where equivalent producers in other states have not had to do so. If this is the case, and producers have been shouldering more costs, it makes South Australia an anti-competitive place to do business.”

Dr Centofanti said Clare Scriven must withdraw her request to Livestock SA to reconsider the CIF Proposed Project Budget to include funding for the NLIS program.

“These are programs that are budgeted for by other governments in other jurisdictions because they value the importance of agribusiness to the state’s economy,” she said. 

“Where are the priorities of the Malinauskas Labor Government? It seems they are far more fixated on net zero agriculture than on supporting an economically sustainable industry into the future and South Australians are concerned.”

“Under the current scheme, there is federal funding for the NLIS database upgrade, but as always with Labor, the crucial detail is missing,” Dr Centofanti said.

“Is the money put aside for the database upgrade sufficient? Or will producers and industry be made to fork out for any difference?” 

“If the Malinauskas Labor Government is unwilling to fund the NLIS program itself, and continues to put that cost on producers through the industry-based levy, then Clare Scriven must provide evidence to prove SA livestock farmers are not worse off.”

Related story: New advantage program for SA’s eID roll out: Scriven