An increase in skilled labour is needed in the state’s dairy industry as it continues to export its products around the world, an inquiry has heard.
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The Legislative Council Committee’s inquiry into the Tasmanian dairy industry heard from a range of different stakeholders in Hobart on Thursday, many commenting on the sector’s international markets.
A theme of the inquiry was the need for more skilled labour entering into the industry, and what is being done to address the gap.
The State Growth Department’s Mark Bowles told the inquiry that he had seen some instances of mismatch between the demand for skilled labour and the supply within the sector.
“We do see coincidences of both unemployment and also demand for skilled labour that’s not being met,” Mr Bowles said.
“The methodology is for both government and industry to work together, not only to build and profile what skills needs there are, but also to undertake activities to demonstrate that those are attractive industries.”
Mr Bowles said since Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to Tasmania in 2014, the government had made a deliberate decision to broaden its focus to Asia.
“The government is not ignoring markets such as the States, which is an important market in terms of investment,” he said.
“Through the establishment of direct flights into China, we would see that as a key turning point.
“What it adds to Tasmanian products and the brand is the element of freshness in international markets.”
Moon Lake Investment’s Evan Rolley told the inquiry that investment was needed to tackle the “serious skills shortage”.
“In the end, it’s about talking to the people on the farm who are making the employment decisions and getting the feedback from them about where those skills are lacking,” Mr Rolley said.
“It’s not about more money probably, it’s about making sure that’s closer to the actual experience that employers in those sectors are having day-to-day.”
Mr Rolley told the inquiry that several marketing channels were available to Tasmanians farmers, including the idea of expanding milk that is low in somatic cell counts.
“The second project that’s been initiated is to convert a number of existing dairy farms, around four of them, across to organic farms, and work on that’s already commenced,” he said.
The inquiry also heard from Brand Tasmania, the Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals, and Mutuo.
