Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. News and media
  4. February 2023 Budget Supplementary Estimates – Opening Statement, Secretary Metcalfe Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

Back to news - AWE

  • Back to news

February 2023 Budget Supplementary Estimates – Opening Statement, Secretary Metcalfe Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

  • Statement
  • Trade
  • Exports
  • Department
14 February 2023
  • Chair and Senators, thank you for the opportunity to make a short opening statement this morning.
  • I would like to start by acknowledging the many challenges faced by people affected by severe flooding in various parts of Australia. Our thoughts are with the many farming families and regional communities impacted by the disastrous floods.
  • Chair, since we last appeared before the Committee we continued to fully bed down the Machinery of Government changes which took effect in July. The department is now focused on making sure we can best deliver on our core significant regulatory, research, stakeholder engagement, program administration and policy advice functions. The government and Minister Watt have been very clear on their priorities, and we are of course committed to ensuring delivery of these outcomes.
  • Following discussions and consultations throughout the department, I’m pleased to advise I launched our new Purpose, Objectives, Priorities, Vision and Values statement last December. This is basically my department’s strategic directions on a page, and it will underpin what we do and how we work; and inform more formal documentation such as our Corporate Plan. I have copies of the document to provide to the Committee and we’ll hand those out today.
  • The department’s clear purpose – our job – is `Working together to safeguard and grow sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry for all Australians’; and our vision – our aspiration – is `A more sustainable and prosperous Australia through biosecurity, production and trade’.
  • Importantly, it solidifies our First Nations Commitment, describing our approach to work in a genuine partnership with First Nations people both within the department and externally.
  • The department is also looking at fine-tuning our structure to ensure we remain fit for purpose and can best deliver on our core regulatory and other services, and on the government’s priorities.
  • You’d be aware, but I feel it’s worth reiterating, the breadth of work of the department. We’re constantly dealing with high priority biosecurity, trade and production policy and operational issues; we have staff in 154 locations across Australia (including our external territories) as well as 15 countries overseas.
  • During my recent opportunity to accompany Minister Watt overseas, I saw first-hand the important and valuable work of our agriculture counsellors.
  • As the Minister just said, Australia’s agricultural exports are forecast to break records at over $72 billion in 2022-23. The combination of high production and prices has seen Australian agricultural exports exceed $5 billion in every month since November 2021, despite widespread reported port congestion.
  • The work of the department makes a real difference for Australian businesses, for example the department accomplished over 100 market access achievements in 2022. This includes new market access for stone-fruit to Vietnam, safeguarding meat access to the Middle East and Asia, and securing grain trade to markets across Latin America and Southeast Asia.
  • As another great example, through the hard work of departmental staff both in Washington D.C. and here in Australia, several Australian manufacturers and exporters have taken advantage of the US Food and Drug Administration temporary enforcement discretion to gain access to the coveted US market.
  • One example is that, so far, over 175 million full-size 8oz bottles of Australian infant formula have been made available across the US. Pleasingly one of the companies, Bubs Australia, was recognised as Australian Exporter of the Year at the 60th Australian Export Awards in November. This is great recognition for the company, and I am very proud of the efforts of the department to not only help Bubs Australia reach their export success, but the assistance provided to each and every other Australian agriculture exporter.
  • And one just other quick example of the excellence of our staff, we recently showcased one of our wonderful female scientists, Dr Anna Kabaila, in recognition of International Women and Girls in Science Day. Dr Kabaila is a Senior Veterinary Officer who is working to improve Australia’s capacity to identify and respond to emergency animal disease threats. She is one of many female scientists and veterinarians making a valuable contribution to our department’s work, including in leadership positions.
  • I will also note the department was recently able to consolidate our different Canberra offices into a single facility on Northbourne Avenue in Civic. This building has been designed to enable modern ways of working, to get the most of the synergies across our different groups. It’s worth noting the rental of the new building is significantly less than that of our previous buildings.
  • Finally Chair, I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank my leadership team and departmental staff who continue to provide valuable services to the Australian community and our key stakeholders including farmers and graziers, foresters and fishers, food and fibre production industries, exporters and importers; and the many people they employ and whose services they use.
  • I’m very proud of our staff, who continue to display our core values of courage, excellence, diversity and working together, underpinned of course by safety and integrity.
  • Thank you Chair. We are very happy to respond to any questions you may have.

Andrew Metcalfe AO
Secretary
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Copy link

Related

Aerial image of green and yellow segmented field

Cutting global farm subsidies can improve environmental outcomes

  • Media release
  • Agriculture
31 March 2025
Decorative image

Philippines-Australia Agriculture Forum

  • News
  • Trade
20 March 2025
Decorative

Non-tariff barriers: A multi-billion dollar burden

  • Media release
  • Exports
18 March 2025
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 14 February 2023

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram