I’m delighted to join with all of you in celebrating the biggest and oldest cattle company in our country.
A major operator, employer and exporter here in Central Queensland.
And an extraordinary contributor to Australia’s national success for two centuries.
Can I thank Beef Australia’s Chair, Bryce Camm, the Board of Directors, the CEO, Simon Irwin, and everyone involved with organising Beef Australia 2024.
This is such a great event for Central Queensland, and for the cattle industry across our nation.
It delivers a big boost to the local economy, helps drive the growth of an essential national industry.
And it helps Australia showcase the best beef in the world, to the rest of the world.
That’s especially important as we welcome international visitors and global export partners for the first time since 2018.
Bringing this event to life takes an extraordinary amount of work from so many dedicated people.
I’m proud our Government has backed your efforts, with a $6 million commitment that we made at the Gracemere Saleyards ahead of the last election.
And I’m so pleased to stand here in the Beef Capital of Australia – and see firsthand the world-class event we are supporting.
Beef 2024 is a reminder of how important the agriculture sector is to our economy but also to our Australian identity and our Australian story.
Australians – everywhere – respect the hard work that farmers and producers do.
We are grateful for the contribution you make to our quality of life.
And we can only admire the resilience you demonstrate when times are tough – through fires and flood and drought and all the other unpredictable challenges of life on the land.
I know that even as we gather to celebrate 200 years of proud history, you are looking to the future.
To new markets and new opportunities, new science and technology, new ways to thrive and succeed.
Our Government is proud to be backing you in all this.
When I talk about my vision for a future made in Australia, it’s about us being more self-reliant, standing our own two feet as an economy and making sure that every part of our country shares in the opportunities that are ahead of us.
Our regions and suburbs as well as our big cities.
A strong agriculture sector is central to all that.
You help us succeed at home and win in the world.
I know the next hundred years of AACo will be even bigger and better, for the benefit of all of us.
Congratulations everyone, thank you and have a great Beef week.
