Recent funding announcements by both major political parties for tranche three of the Tasmanian Irrigation schemes have been welcomed.
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This initial investment will enable a number of these projects to commence construction at a time when Tasmania's irrigation schemes have become the envy of the country.
As a state, we have demonstrated that placing irrigation schemes in the most appropriate agricultural areas and the subsequent application of irrigation water can and does increase production and local employment.
This has a very positive economic and social flow-on effect to regional communities and the broader agricultural sector in general.
Most people recognise the benefits that these schemes provide, however, from time to time, we hear questions raised about their overall value to the economy, those questions, frankly, are misplaced.
Irrigation schemes and the associated infrastructure are an investment for the present, but equally and if not, more importantly, they are a significant investment for the future wellbeing of our state.
We have seen this demonstrated in Tasmania in the past, during the 1980s the Craigbourne Dam and irrigation scheme was constructed in the Coal River Valley.
Prior to this development, the Valley had predominantly been known for livestock and some limited fruit production.
On the back of this infrastructure over the last thirty odd years, the valley has changed from its original range of enterprises to now include high-value crops such as, stone fruit production, significant cherry orchards and has become a renowned wine producing area recognised internationally.
This increase in high-value production has resulted in significant capital investment throughout the valley and a corresponding increase in demand for labour coupled with a significant increase in tourism and its associated income.
The schemes and the newly proposed schemes all offer similar or greater potential. When looking at the value of these investments we should always view them through the perspective of the future.
That is to say, what will these schemes do for Tasmania in the next thirty to fifty years.
It is clear from our previous experiences that these significant infrastructure investments are a positive economic and social influence for our wonderful state.
Agriculture is a mainstay of the Tasmanian economy currently and on the back of further irrigation investment will remain so for many decades to come.