THE State Government promised no frontline service cuts but, according to the Victorian Nationals, the Premier is now “targeting Victoria’s incredible team of agricultural research scientists”.
That’s according to Emma Kealy MP, Deputy Leader of the State Parliamentary Nationals and Shadow Minister for Agriculture.
“This is a total disregard for the 21,300 farm businesses across Victoria, the lifeblood of our regional communities,” she said.
“They generate well over $14 billion in agricultural produce and drive around 27 per cent of Australia’s total food and fibre exports, worth $20.1 billion.”
According to a statement by Ms Kealy, the state government has only budgeted $537.2 million for Agriculture Victoria in 2025–26, down from $614.8 million in 2024–25.
“These budget cuts, along with the loss of critical staff, gut the very people who protect Victorian agriculture and the scientists whose blue-sky research is vital to keeping our farmers competitive in a global market,” said Ms Kealy.
“It is a huge blow to an industry already under pressure.
“Adding insult to injury, the Allan Labor Government’s new emergency services tax will hit farmers with a tax increase of up 150 per cent on their rates bills.
“At a time when farmers are grappling with skyrocketing input costs, drought and economic uncertainty, Labor just keeps slugging them harder.
“These cuts to research scientists — on top of the emergency services tax — highlight the contempt the Allan Labor Government has for our hardworking farmers, who are once again paying the price for Labor’s incompetence.
“Victorian agriculture deserves better. Our farmers deserve better.”
News that agricultural research scientist jobs will be lost comes a week after it was reported by the ABC that the Victorian government was planning to cut around 350 jobs as part of a restructure to its Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).
The losses are expected to affect public sector workers in a variety of areas, including Agriculture Victoria, Solar Victoria, the First Peoples group and bushfire and forest services.
Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) secretary Jiselle Hanna said the union had not yet been briefed on the cuts but was concerned about the impact the cuts would have on regional Victoria in particular.
"These people and their services are critical to local communities and economies," Ms Hanna told the ABC.
Liberal MP for Western Victoria Bev McArthur, who was in Wonthaggi during the week to speak at an anti-emergency fund levy meeting, said she was not surprised the government was cutting jobs that affected regional areas.
"They've obviously decided they've got to make some cuts somewhere, but of course, where do they make them? Outside the tram tracks of Melbourne," she said.
Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath said she hadn’t seen the detail of the government’s workforce cuts was especially concerned about reports that front-line bushfire jobs would go.
“My concern is that these cuts will hit Victoria’s bushfire-preparedness. The government is already failing to meet its bushfire management targets and now we hear they are threatening cuts in this crucial service area.”
